FREETake Me Home VOL. 11, NO. 52 JANUARY 4, 2013From the Beaches to the River District downtown Fort MyersRead Us Online at IslandSunNews.com Guided Nature WalkAguided nature walk will take place on 1/4 Mile Loop Boardwalk at Prairie Pines Preserve on Saturday, January 5 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Participants will meet in the parking lot at 18400 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers. The walk will allow people to explore the wonders of this 2650-acre Conservation 20/20 preserve from an ADA-compliant boardwalk. This hour-long stroll will traverse a seasonal marsh while offering information about the birds, butterflies, and plants that call it home.continued on page 22 Red-bellied woodpecker at Prairie Pines Preserve New Year, New Places To See During a recent visit to the USS Mohawk, Lee Countys newest diving destination, a diver spotted a green sea turtle among the abundant marine life seen swimming in and around the former coast guard vessel. Sunk in 90 feet of water, approximately 30 miles off the coast of Sanibel this past July, the ships diving coordinates are N26 33.075, W82 43.481. photo courtesy of Scubavice Diving Center in Fort MyersBon Jovi Tribute Band Coming To Sidney And Berne Davis Art CenterThe Bon Jovi tribute group Keep The Faith is coming to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center as part of the Rock The River series on Saturday, January 12 at 7 p.m. A national caliber Bon Jovi tribute group, Keep The Faith keeps it real. The look. The sound. The energy. Its like a full-blown Bon Jovi concert and its no wonder the audience responds as if they were watching Bon Jovi themselves. Keep The Faith takes you on a musical journey spanning three decades of rock musics most memorable sing-along anthems: Livin On A Prayer, Bad Medicine, You Give Love A Bad Name and Bed Of Roses are just a few of the chart-topping hit songs youll hear in this unrivaled tribute show. And with five of Southwest Floridas most sought-after musicians, its no wonder the audience is always left wanting more. Band members are Polo Staber, David Bell, Rick Morrow, Jim Miller and Gregory Sallen. Staber is the son of acclaimed bluegrass artist Dick Staber. Immersing himself in music instinctively by age eight, Staber had a successful European tour under his belt by age 16. Moving to Naples from Upstate New York in 1994, he quickly developed a continued on page 18 Keep The FaithLee Countys Farmers MarketsEating locally grown and produced foods is good for the area economy and great for your health. Lee County boasts several farmers markets that offer chemicalfree and organic produce, along with fresh baked goods, native plants and all-natural products. Support area farmers and practice good eating habits at these locations: Thursday: The River District Farmers Market, under the U.S. 41 Caloosahatchee bridge, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fruit, vegetables, local honey, bread, seafood, BBQ, flowers and plants. Call 321-7100 or go to www.cityftmyers.com.continued on page 14 GreenMarket at Alliance for the Arts is held on Saturdays

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Historic Downtown Fort Myers, Then And Now: Paving Paradise?by Gerri ReavesThe well-known lines from a Joni Mitchell song,They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, might echo in the minds of people who remember the grandest days of the Exhibition Hall. But urban landscapes change, especially urban riverfronts like Fort Myers, whose purpose has been debated and re-debated for years. The fates of public buildings and the land they sit on are determined by so many things: economics, politics, the level of public support, aesthetics, natural forces and more. Such was the case with the Exhibition Hall, which opened in 1954 on the riverfront on the west side of Hendry Street. It was destined to play a major role in the recreational, social and cultural life of Fort Myers. Among its distinctive Moderne architectural features were an expansive central area with a terrazzo floor, a ceiling of wooden bent arches, and a rectangular tower with metal grooves. The glass along the north side of the building capitalized on the waterfront setting. Not only did the hall host great names such as Elvis Presley, Milton Berle and U.S. President Gerald Ford, but countless local events as well, from dances to flower shows. For years, people gathered there after the Childrens Parade for the crowning of the King and Queen of Edisonia, a treasured ritual of the Edison Pageant of Light. It was in the band shell on the south side of the hall that one of the towns bestremembered traditions took place: the Singing Christmas Tree. However, by the 1980s, deterioration and other problems had set in, and they worsened. The building of the Harborside Convention Center could be said to have exacerbated the problem by displacing the hallowed hall as an event center. The damage inflicted by Hurricane Charley in 2004 marked the beginning of the buildings final chapter, in which it suffered the indignity of tarps on the roof, plywood in some windows, and missing letters in its name: Fort M_ers E_hibitio_ Ha__. Despite an architectural study that deemed it historically and architecturally significant, based on the Secretary of Interior Standards, and strong public support in favor of preserving it spearheaded by the Lee Trust for Historic Preservation, it was demolished in 2007. But not without protest in spoken, written and marching form. The strongest critics of the citys action labeled it demolition by neglect. The memory might still be painful for advocates of preserving the historic hall, renovating it and incorporating it into a redeveloped downtown. After all, even renowned city planner Andres Duany proposed the same in his 2001 Fort Myers plan commissioned by the city. If theres any consolation, its that the halls footprint has been incorporated into the new riverfront basin park. Oddly enough, the basin project has restored some of the land to an historic state that preceded even the Exhibition Hall days under water. Theres also the consolation that the spot where Elvis entertained the City of Palms is being appreciated by droves of residents and visitors. Walk down Hendry Street to the former site of the Exhibition Hall. While youre enjoying the beautiful new basin project, ponder the many transformations the riverfront has undergone in the last century. Then walk south to the Southwest Florida Museum of History to learn more about the forces of nature and economics that, for good or ill, have repeatedly transformed the downtown riverfront. For information, call 321-7430 or go to museumofhistory.org. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Be sure to visit the Southwest Florida Historical Society, one of the areas best research centers, where you can learn about the Exhibition Halls role in thecontinued on page 21 The Exhibition Hall under construction courtesy of Southwest Florida Historical Society The proud Exhibition Hall in 1958, four years after it opened on the river on the west side of Hendry Street courtesy of Southwest Florida Museum of History The hall site has been incorporated into the newly completed riverfront basin project photo by Gerri Reaves The River Weekly News will correct factual errors or matters of emphasis and interpretation that appear in news stories. Readers with news, tips, comments or questions, please call (239) 415-7732 or write to: The River Weekly News, 1609 Hendry Street, Suite 15, Fort Myers, FL 33901. Fax number: (239) 415-7702. E-mail: press@riverweekly.com. The River Weekly News reserves the right to refuse, alter or edit any editorial or advertisement.Independently Owned And Operated COPYRIGHT 2013 The River Weekly News LORKEN Publications, Inc.Co-Publishers Lorin Arundel and Ken Rasi Advertising Sales Isabel Rasi George Beleslin Stacy Osborn Office Coordinator Patricia MolloyGraphic Arts/ProductionAnn Ziehl Sarah Crooks Kris See Photographer Michael Heider Writers Gerri Reaves, Ph D Anne Mitchell Jeff Lysiak PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Contributing Writers Read Us Online: www.IslandSunNews.com Click on The River Jennifer Basey Kimberley Berisford Suzy Cohen Ed Frank Max Friedersdorf Priscilla Friedersdorf Jim George Dr. Dave Hepburn Joan Hooper Audrey Krienen Scott Martell Capt. Matt Mitchell Patricia Molloy Laura Zocki Puerto Di Saggau Scott White THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 20132

THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 20134 Celebrities Support Golf ClassicMore than 35 Olympians, professional golfers, celebrities and athletes participated in the inaugural Art of the Olympians College of Life Premiere Golf Classic, a multiday fundraiser for Art of the Olympians Foundation to benefit AOTO in promoting the highest ideals of humanity with their creative talents through the sport/ art relationship by providing programs of art, education, sport and cultural outreach to inspire the world. The exclusive event included a practice round, Golf Classic dinner and auction, and a golf tournament which a celebrity played with each foursome. The title sponsor of the inaugural tourna ment was College of Life Foundation. The presenting sponsor was WCI Communities along with The Colony Golf & Country Club. In-kind sponsors included The News-Press Media Group, Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Airport/FGCU, The Dow Chemical Company, Republic Technologies, Mark Loren Designs, Norman Love Confections, Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, Budweiser, Adidas, SweetSpot Golf, Cigar Bar and E-Z-GO. For more information, visit www.artoftheolympians.org. Basketball All-Star Artis Gilmore, LPGA golfer Terry-Jo Myers Bob Beamon and Julius Dr. J Erving Carl Lewis and Kader Klouchi, competitors at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain George Lucke with Renaldo Nehemiah, six-time hurdles world record holder and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Peggy Egan, College of Life Foundation, and Carl Lewis The Blind Side actor Quinton Aaron Olympian and artist Kader Klouchi, painting picture during gala for live auction Lazy Flamingo, Inc. Lazy Flamingo, Inc. 6520-C Pine Avenue 6520-C Pine Avenue Sanibel, FL 33957 Sanibel, FL 33957 239-472-5353 239-472-5353 Lazy Flamingo 3, Inc. Lazy Flamingo 3, Inc. 16501 Stringfellow Rd 16501 Stringfellow Rd Bokeelia, FL 33922 Bokeelia, FL 33922 239-283-5959 239-283-5959 Lazy Flamingo 2, Inc. Lazy Flamingo 2, Inc. 1036 Periwinkle Way 1036 Periwinkle Way Sanibel, FL 33957 Sanibel, FL 33957 239-472-6939 239-472-6939 Lazy Flamingo 4, Inc. Lazy Flamingo 4, Inc. 12951 McGregor Blvd. 12951 McGregor Blvd. Ft. Myers, FL 33919 Ft. Myers, FL 33919 239-476-9000 239-476-9000Four Great Locations! If Our Seafood Were Any Fresher, If Our Seafood Were Any Fresher, We Would Be Serving It Under Water! We Would Be Serving It Under Water! Tourney co-chairs Ryan Sherry and Jonathan Lombardi with Jackie JoynerKersee Annual Alva Craft ShowAlva Community Center is looking for craft vendors for their upcoming Craft Show that will be held on Saturday, February 2. The show will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alva Community Park, located at 21471 North River Road in Alva. Spaces (10-foot by 10-foot) are available for a nominal fee of $10 each.Tables, tents, chairs, etc. are not provided. Public admission will be free. For further information on this event or to become a vendor, contact Sandra Bates at 728-2882 or BatesSW@leegov.com.

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5 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 Americas Privateer Lynx Sails To Nervous NelliesWith her main battery of six-pounder carronades ablaze, a full-deck cannon salute announced the arrival of Americas Privateer Lynx to Nervous Nellies Crazy Waterfront Eaterys Snug Harbor Marina. The January 3 celebration marked the grand entrance of the 122-foot square topsail schooner to Fort Myers Beach. On Saturday, Nellies is hosting an official welcoming party to include a Champagne salute with live music and appetizer specials all day at the restaurant and upstairs at Uglys Waterfront Bar, the place where everyone gets prettier. The casual restaurant with the fun-loving staff boasts a large selection of appetizers, fresh seafood, sandwiches and entres. While relaxing on the expansive waterfront patio, enjoy the view of the historic Lynx. Tours are also available that allow visitors to climb aboard and step back in time to relive history and feel the adventure of a vanished age of sail. Whether you arrive by land or sea, parking for patrons of Nellies and Uglys is free. If you are traveling by boat, marine dockage is available at the Snug Harbour Marina with dock attendants assistance. The GPS coordinates are 2627.41 N 81.18 W. Nervous Nellies Crazy Waterfront Eatery is located at 1131 First Street, Fort Myers Beach in the historic Baywalk district. It is open for lunch, dinner and snacks in between. Call 463-8077 or go to www.nervousnellies.net. The Lynx will fire her six-pounder carronades during her grand arrival at Nellies Patrons of Nervous Nellies can park their boats or cars for free Lunch, Dinner & Snacks in Between11am-10pm RI V GPS COORDINATES:263.41 N 815.18 W FREE MARINA DOCKAGE with Dock Attendants Assistance Nellies Upstairs Waterside Bar Where its Happy Hour all the time!!! www.nervousnellies.net 1131 1st St., Ft. Myers Beach10% OFF Offer valid with Cash payments only...No credit cards. ONE COUPON PER TABLE Can not be used with any other offer. 18% Gratuity may be added to bill before discount. 11am 10pm, Expires Jan. 11, 2013 Our email address is press@riverweekly.com

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 20136 5 250 S. Tamiami Trail, #109, Fort M y ers 33908 1 5 C all: 2 39 .2 88 6953 w ww.v i nosp i casso.co m w paint studio gallery wine bar Nightly sessions w/local artists Hortoons Find Your Real Housepet At Lee CountyKeep it real this New Year by a adopting a real housepet from Lee County Domestic Animal Services. No matter what your personality or lifestyle, LCDAS has a pet for you. Adopt dogs that are energetic, playful or couch potatoes. Choose a cat thats inquisitive, cuddly or a constant companion. With reduced adoption fees the entire month of January that include spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations and much more, its a real deal. Cats 6 months & over $30 (regularly $50) Kittens 3 to 6 months $50 (regularly $75) Kittens under 3 months $75 Dogs 6 months & over $55 (regularly $75) Puppies under 6 months $95 The shelter is located at 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, off Six Mile Cypress Parkway next to the Lee County Sheriffs Office. Adoption hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Pets available for adoption may be viewed online at www.LeeLostPets.com. Adopters may also submit their adoption application online so they can focus on the pets instead of the paperwork during their shelter visit. Postal Prices To ChangeBeginning on January 27, the cost of a one-ounce, First-Class postage stamp will increase by one penny to 46 cents. The new 46-cent Forever stamps will allow customers to mail letters to any location in the United States. Forever stamps are always good for mailing a one-ounce letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes. Procrastinators who havent sent their annual holiday greetings will want to stock up on Forever stamps at the 45cent rate prior to the rate change. The Postal Service will also introduce a First-Class Mail Global Forever Stamp. The new stamp will allow customers to mail letters anywhere in the world for one set price of $1.10. Highlights of the new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing include: Letters (1oz.) 1-cent increase to 46 cents Letters additional ounces unchanged at 20 cents Letters to all international destinations (1oz.) $1.10 Postcards 1-cent increase to 33 cents Prices for all products (mailing and shipping services) will increase by 4 percent, but prices for mailing services, such as regular letters and advertising matter, will increase only 2.6 percent. Shipping Services Several new shipping services products will be available in January. Free tracking will be offered to all competitive packages, including retail Priority Mail and Parcel Post (recently renamed Standard Post). Customers shipping Critical Mail letters and large envelopes will have the option of receiving a signature upon delivery as part of the service offering. A large variety of flat-rate boxes and envelopes for Express Mail and Priority Mail, including the padded and legalsized flat rate envelopes, will continue to be offered by the Postal Service. New domestic retail pricing for Priority Mail Flat Rate products include: Small box $5.80 Medium box $12.35 Large box $16.85 Large APO/FPO box $14.85 Regular envelope $5.60 The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. Swearing-In CeremonyOn Tuesday, January 8 at 7:30 a.m., Lee County Clerk of Court Linda Doggett and Lee County Tax Collector Larry Hart will take the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of the Old Lee County Courthouse (2120 Main Street, Downtown Ft. Myers). The ceremony will be followed by an 8:00 a.m. reception in the Old Courthouse lobby on the first floor. The weekly board meeting will begin at its usual 9:30 a.m. starting time. The public is invited to attend all inauguration activities and the board meeting. For additional information, call event coordinators Rita Miller at 533-2766 or Joanne Robertson at 533-6061. Clerk Of Courts Promotes Three To ManagementLee County Clerk-elect Linda Doggett announced three senior management promotions: Terry Mallow has been promoted to chief financial control officer and is replacing Donna Harn, who recently retired. Additionally, Janice Bunting has been promoted to deputy chief of the criminal department and Sandi Sauls to deputy chief of the civil department. These promotions are in lieu of the prior court department director position which will not be filled. Mallow was formerly the deputy chief financial control officer and has been with the clerks office since 2000. Bunting was formerly the criminal division manager and has been with the clerks office since 2007. Sauls was formerly the civil division manager and has been with the clerks office since 1988. Doggett won election to the clerk of the court position in August and will be sworn in on January 8, which is required by state statute, replacing long-time clerk Charlie Green. She previously served as chief operating officer for the clerk. Doggett does not intend to fill her prior position of chief operating officer.

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7 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 We Proudly Brew 2163 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island, Fl 33957 Ph: 239.472.0606 www.SanibelIslandCow.com 395 7 7 P P P P P h h h h: h: 2 2 2 2 2 39 39 39 39 4 4 72 0606wwwSanibelIslandCowcom aij amandasislandjewelswww. .com amandasislandjewelsAmandas Island JewelsAvailable Here & Onlinewww.AmandasIslandJewels.com Tropical Outdoor Patio Seating Get Crabby At The Cow Get Crabby At The Cow Get Crabby At The Cow Get Crabby At The Cow with our Famous Stone Crabs1/2 lb & 1 lb. quantities Appetizers & Full Dinners Best Prices On The Planet Fun "new" Moo Wear for all ages Come Try our Come Try our NEW NEW Cowlicious Cowlicious Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Specials Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Specials Sanibels Most Award Winning RestaurantServing Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 7 days a week. Snacks In-between Live Music! Outdoor Seating LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC s s Always Fresh ...Always! way s! w w Always Fresh ...Always Fun! Servin A ..Always 5th Annual Grande Dames Tea To Honor TrioPACE Center for Girls of Lee County has selected three more women to be honored at the 5th annual Grande Dames Tea honoring some of our communitys most revered women. This years honorees are: Thelma Hodges of Naples Philanthropist and namesake of Hodges University with her husband Earl, Thelma Hodges was one of the first three nurses hired at Naples Community Hospital. She retired from the hospital after a 22-year career, but continued to devote herself to the hospital as an auxiliary volunteer. She is the longest-serving volunteer, accumulating more than 15,000 hours of service. The Community Foundation of Collier County named her one of its Women of Initiative in 2011. Helen ORourke McClary of Matlacha Known as the Charity Watchdog on the national level for developing national standards for charities for the Better Business Bureau, McClary has dedicated her life to raising money for charities, including Project HOPEs overseas program. She is the recipient of the Better Business Bureau Hall of Fame Award and was honored by The Salvation Army for her 60 years of volunteer service. She is now known as the Doll Lady of Matlacha. Ettie Francis Walsh of Fort Myers From picking cotton to working in The Capitol, Walsh has led a varied life full of love of country, family, friends, fishing and farming. Walsh served as a WAVE in the U.S. Navy during World War II and worked in the Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington, D.C. After moving south to follow her husbands career, Walsh was the office manager and bookkeeper for Kelleys Gardens and A.W. Kelleys Gardens in Fort Myers for more than 25 years. The Grande Dames Tea honoring the three women will take place on Friday, March 15 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Broadway Palm, 1380 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers. Co-chairs of the Grande Dames Tea are Sandy Stilwell and Cheryl Komnick. These three outstanding women come from varied backgrounds and are sure to have some insightful advice for the audience and the PACE girls, said Stilwell, who also is a member of the PACE Lee Board of Directors. Our theme of The Wisdom of Age Honoring the Female Spirit is so appropriate because each of these women has much to share from her own lifes journey, Komnick said. Invitations to the Grande Dames Tea will be mailed in mid-February, at which time guests may also register online at www.pacecenter.org/lee. Admission is $50 per person. Table sponsorships are also available. Attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite tea party hat. This is the fifth year of the historic Grande Dames Tea. Previous honorees have included Berne Davis, Eleanore Kleist and Barbara B. Mann in 2009; Jeanne Bochette, Helen Hendry and Veronica Shoemaker in 2010; Myra Daniels, Kathleen Nealon and Mimi Straub in 2011; and Michel Doherty, Mavis Miller and Anna Boots Tolles in 2012. continued on page 11 Thelma Hodges Helen ORourke McClary Ettie Francis Walsh

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 20138 Along The RiverOn Friday, January 4 at 11 a.m., meet animal ambassador Trouper, a blind raccoon, who will be at CROW with his caretaker Dot Lee and author friend Kyle Miller. The special event is part of the wildlife clinics WOW (Wonders Of Wildlife) program. With a photographic PowerPoint presentation, Miller and Lee will tell Troupers amazing story from his life-threatening head injury at eight weeks of age to becoming a certified animal ambassador for educational purposes. CROWs Visitor Education Center is located at 3883 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel Island. For more information, call 472-3644 ext. 228 or go to www.crowclinic.org. On Saturday, January 5 from 12:30 to 3 p.m., paint your pet at Vinos Picasso while helping local animal shelters. If you would like to have your furry child presketched upon arrival, email a headshot to vinospicasso@comcast.net. Nearly 90 percent of its clients have never painted before, so take a deep breath and have fun! The cost is $50 per person. It is a two-and-a-half to three hour session and $5 from each painter goes to various local rescues. Dress to paint and bring only your ID and bottle(s); space is very limited, so leave that chunky purse at home! Adult groups are supplied with the paint (acrylic), palette, brushes, canvas, apron and even corkscrews for opening wine bottles. The friendly staff will set up and clean up too. Participants only need to worry about bringing their own wine/beer or buying something unique from Vinos Picassos bar and leaving with a new masterpieces. Lee County regulations do not allow for B.Y.O.B. during childrens sessions. Vinos Picasso is located at 15250 South Tamiami Trail, #109, Fort Myers. Call 288-6953 or go to www.vinospicasso.com for reservations and guidelines. If youre heading out to Captiva for a bit of excitement, YOLO (You Only Live Once) Watersports provides all the fun youll need. It offers waverunner rentals, parasailing trips, motor scooter rentals, bikes rentals for the entire family, beach chairs and umbrella rental, stand-up paddleboard rentals and instruction, sailboat rentals and banana boat rides. YOLO also has a full retail store which has all the goods youll need for a day at the beach including, longboard skateboards, sunglasses, momentum and freestyle watches. It now carries a full line up of GoPro HD cameras and mounts, Rainbow sandals and Peppers floating sunglasses. YOLO Watersports is located at 11534 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva. Call 472-9656 or go to www.yolowatersports.com. After working up an appetite playing on Captiva, be sure to check out the great food and live music at the Jacaranda, or The Jac to locals. With live music nightly, the patio lounge attracts an affluent crowd to the friendly and casual restaurant. Although the Jacaranda is best known as a local gathering spot, it has also received several dining awards. The Jac Bar features a daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. and serves two for one drinks and $5.95 appetizers. Live bands, including The Amazing Groove Masters, Both Hands and Renata, play every evening from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The Jacaranda is located at 1223 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Call 472-1771 or visit www.jacarandaonsanibel.com. Paint your pet at Vinos Picasso in Fort Myers this Saturday afternoon Meet Trouper, the blind raccoon, on Friday at CROW on Sanibel. He is pictured here with caretaker Dot Lee, a certified wildlife rehabilitator Located across the street from Gulf Harbour 15065 McGregor Blvd, Ste 104, Fort Myers Phone: 239.267.9000 Online: www.naumannlawpa.comCall for a FREE Consultation ISLAND INSURANCE SERVICE Kathleen Papaleo President Mark OBrien General Manager Susan Barnes Personal Lines Gina Loeber Agent 703 Tarpon Bay Rd, Sanibel, FL (239) 472-3022 Summer is over and its time to enjoy those beautiful winter days in Paradise. Have an insurance question? Call our office today for a new Auto quote. To advertise in The River Weekly News Call 415-7732 4 81-473 3 12600 McGre g or Blvd, Ft M y er s www.scu b av i ce di vers.co m Swim with the Fishe s

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9 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 5th Annual Hunger Walk January 19Time is running short to get your walking shoes ready for the 5th annual WINK News Feeds Families Hunger Walk. This popular event will take place on Saturday, January 19 at Miromar Outlets in Estero. Five Years Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope is this years theme. The goal for the 2013 event is to exceed $270,000, making a five-year total of $1,000,000. Each dollar donated to the Hunger Walk will provide $6 worth of food to those in need in Southwest Florida. All donations are to benefit the Harry Chapin Food Bank. In the first four years that the Hunger Walk has been held, $730,000 has been raised. The publics help is needed to meet this years goal, which will mean food can be distributed to our areas hungry through the food banks more than 160 participating agencies in Southwest Florida. Both sponsors and walkers are needed to make the event successful. Co-chairs for the 5th annual event are Sandy Robinson of Northern Trust and Dr. Brian Schwartz of 21st Century Oncology. Lois Thome, WINK news anchor, is the honorary chair of the 2013 event and will lead this years walkers. The presenting sponsors are Panera Bread, Garden Street Iron & Metal, Inc. and Jo Anna and Wilson Bradshaw. Gold sponsors include Florida Gulf Coast University, SMART COMPANIES and SWFL Tech Group. Silver sponsors are Northern Trust, Busey Bank, Maureen and Brian Schwartz, Century Link and Miller, Helms & Folk. Media sponsors are the News-Press and MUNDO FOX. Miromar Outlets is providing the venue. Hunger Walk sponsorship opportunities are still available. Those interested in becoming a sponsor or providing support for the Hunger Walk should contact Marta Hodson at 334-7007 ext. 132 or martahodson@harrychapinfoodbank.org. Last years Hunger Walk had more than 850 participants who raised approximately $300,000. All of the money generated by the Hunger Walk will go to feed children and families in need. This has been a very difficult year for many of our neighbors and the dozens of emergency food programs served by the Harry Chapin Food Bank are in critical need for food. Individuals, businesses and groups wishing to participate in the Hunger Walk may register by accessing www.harrychapinfoodbank.org and following the link to the Hunger Walk. Participants line up prior to the start of last years Hunger Walk Cat On A Hot Tin Roof In Fort MyersThe New York Times has called Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, an American theatrical masterpiece, gripping and intensely moving. The Laboratory Theater of Florida will present Tennessee Williams Pulitzer Prize-winning play with performances on January 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. as well as January 20 and 27 at 2 p.m. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof brims with Williamss trademark emotional intensity and wit. Denial and desperation fuel the story, while tensions detonate like the fireworks for Big Daddys birthday. The play was adapted as a movie in 1958, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman as Maggie and Brick. And theater-lovers will know that Scarlett Johansson is currently playing the lead role on Broadway. Leading the cast as Maggie the Cat with her purring determination is Rachael Endrizzi, who is also the director of childrens theater education at the Florida Repertory Theatre. This dynamic show opens on Friday, January 11. The audience will see the sparks fly as the family gathers to celebrate Big Daddys 65th birthday. Maggie the Cat, Brick, Big Daddy and Big Mama, Gooper and Mae are proud, but unable to see the truth of their situations, and are crippled by the gaping chasm between the dreams of life and the reality of living it. Director Ken Bryant, who brought you the summer thriller Five Kinds Of Silence, says, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is Tennessee Williams at his finest. The Laboratory Theater of Florida is located on the corner of Second Street and Woodford Avenue (physical address 1634 Woodford Avenue) in the Fort Myers River District. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18.50 for Senior Thursdays and $12 for students with valid ID. Call 218-0481 or visit www.laboratorytheaterflorida.com for more information. Brick and Maggie, cast leads in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Chinese & Japanese Cuisine Downtown Fort Myers (Post Oce Arcade Hotel Indigo) 1520 Broadway For Takeout & Delivery Tel: 334-6991 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEKMon-urs 11am 10pm Fri-Sat 11am 11pm Sun 12pm 9pm Young Artists To Perform At Art Walk On Friday, January 4 the Young Artists Awards will present two award winning performers at the Reverie & Rock Art Gallery from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in conjunction with Januarys Art Walk in downtown Fort Myers. Vocalists Sam Bostic and Jordan Pilant will be featured. Sam, 18, is a freshman in the musical theater program at Shenendoah University. Jordan is a freshman attending Fort Myers High School. Both are multiple-year winners of the Young Artists Awards program.The Young Artists Awards, beginning its 10th year of programming, is a not for profit education, performance, audition and scholarship program for students from throughout Southwest Florida. The organization is also a monthly partner with Art Walk. Reverie & Rock Art Gallery is the newest addition to Art Walk and is located at 1528 Jackson Street in the downtown Fort Myers River District. The performance is free and open to the public. For more information on the Young Artists Awards, visit www.youngartistsawards.org or Young Artists Awards on Facebook. Sam Bostic Jordan Pilant

11 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 Improvements Made To Ronald McDonald HouseThe fall 2012 provisional membership class of The Junior League of Fort Myers (JLFM), a womens organization that focuses on community improvement through volunteerism, recently completed their group community project with the Ronald McDonald House. With the help of generous donations from sponsors, including City Furniture, Silks by Mu, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, Pulte Group SWFL Division, Luxury Home Solutions, Ferguson Enterprises, Target, Royal Palm Plumbing and Benjamin Moore Paint, the provisional members and volunteers worked together planning ways to make improvements throughout the house to foster a special home away from home for the families who stay there while also trying to create a more up-to-date Ronald McDonald theme. Some transformations included new furniture in the foyer, custom Ronald McDonald-themed artwork throughout the home, new curtains and centerpieces for the boardroom table, new closet and storage organizational systems for the boardroom, updated bathroom mural and fixtures, as well as new wall paint for all the rooms. To make sure this project was a success, the provisional class made several trips to RMH and spent several hours planning and organizing before the actual project date. The provisional project was a huge success. The Junior League of Fort Myers delivered on the requests for updates to the Ronald McDonald house and exceeded their expectations. The ladies raised community support for donations to give even more than was requested. The staff and families at the Ronald McDonald House were so pleased with the results and they continue to receive compliments from visitors on how beautiful and comfortable the house is after the project, said Bethany Anderson, Membership Development committee member. The 2012 Provisional class is led by the Junior League of Fort Myers Membership Development committee and is comprised of 26 provisional members. Membership Development committee chairs include Veronica Bynum and Carissa Laoang and committee members Bethany Anderson, Stephanie Chiu, Talia Gates and Ginny Zimmerman Provisional Members include Magdalena Battles and Kasey Harrell (project co-chairs), Lindsay Albrecht, Darcy Andrade, Caitlin Bomberger, Liz Calasans, Shavon Chester, Lesli Cothren, Rio DeArmond, Lauren Dunford, Jessica Ehrhart, Susan Frantz, Megan Garrison, Jennifer Hamilton, Jaclyn Julow, Sara Levene, Kathryn Medlock, Rebecca Migliore, MaryBeth Molloy, Elizabeth Moore, Kathleen Perko, Carrie Pollock, Jessica Ruzicka, Ashley Seidler, Mikova Talokonnikoff and Katrina Wells During the 2012-13 year, the JLFM will continue multiple community projects including mentoring young women at-risk through WISH (an acronym for Women Instilling Self-Worth and Hope); Mini Grants program for local non-profits in our community; creating short-term, done-in-a-day, quick impact community service and improvement projects through our Helping Hands program; and expanding our Kids in the Kitchen program to include a mobile food pantry, which will help needy families access healthy food. The Junior League of Fort Myers, Inc., a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. JLFM membership is for women aged 21 and older of all races, religions and national origin who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism. For more information about the Junior League, call 277-1197 or visit www.jlfm. org. From page 7Grande DamesThe Grande Dames Tea was originated by PACE Center for Girls of Lee County to honor women who have played major roles in Southwest Florida history through decades of service, philanthropy and helping others. The agenda for the tea will include interaction between the PACE girls and the three Grande Dames, in a question and answer format that Stilwell and Komnick said is sure to be thoughtprovoking and poignant. Mei-Mei Chan, News-Press Media Group president and publisher, will once again serve as mistress of ceremonies. PACE Center for Girls, Inc., is a non-residential delinquency prevention program targeting the unique needs of girls, ages 12 to 18 years old, facing challenges such as physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, family history of incarceration and declining grades For information about the Grande Dames Tea or to become a sponsor, contact PACE Director of Development Melissa Cofta at 425-2366 ext. 25 or visit http://pacecenter.org/lee. The remodeled foyer area of the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Myers Restroom remodel The fall 2012 provisional membership class of the Junior League of Fort Myers From page 10Churches/TemplesTHE CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF SW FLORIDA ORTHODOX 5620 Winkler Road, Fort Myers Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz 433-7708, E-mail: rabbi@chabadswf.org Web site: www.chabadswf.org Services: Friday 6:30 p.m.; Saturday Kabbalah class 9 a.m.; Shacharit 10 a.m.; Kiddush at noon Minyan: Monday and Thursday 7 a.m. THE NEW CHURCH The New Church of SWFL is located 10811 Sunset Plaza Circ. #401, behind Zoomers. Rev. Gabriella Cahaley officiates worship services on Sundays at 11 a.m. during the season. Other worship events are held on the beach in Fort Myers Beach. See our webpage http://www.newchurchflorida.com/ or call for more information 239-481-5535. THOMAS A. EDISON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 1619 Llewellyn Drive Fort Myers Just off McGregor across from the Edison/ Ford Winter Estates 334-4978 Senior Minister: Douglas Kelchner Traditional Worship Sundays 10:15 a.m. Website: www.taecc.com UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH FORT MYERS 13411 Shire Lane (off Daniels Parkway one mile west of I-75) Minister: The Reverend Allison Farnum Sunday services and religious education at 10:30 a.m. For information on all church events call 561-2700 or visit www.uucfm.org. UNITY OF BONITA SPRINGS Family Service 10 to 11 a.m. Healing Circle 11 a.m. Hospitality and Fellowship, 11 a.m. Inspiring lesson, uplifting and dynamic music, meditation in a loving environment. Service held at 28285 Imperial Street, Bonita Springs. Call 947-3100. UNITY OF FORT MYERS 11120 Ranchette Road, Fort Myers Summer services & Childrens Hour 10 a.m. Sundays. Reverend Jim Rosemergy, minister. Our God is Love; our Race is Human; our Religion is Oneness. www.unityoffortmyers.org or 239-278-1511 WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 9065 Ligon Court, Fort Myers, across from HealthPark Hospital, 481-2125 Senior Pastor: Robert Brunson Sunday Service: 9:30 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 11 a.m. Blended Worship www.westminsterfortmyers.org WORD OF LIFE CHURCH 2120 Collier Ave, Fort Myers, 274-8881; Services: Sunday 10 a.m.; Wednesday 7 p.m. Bishop Gaspar and Michele Anastasi ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH 7401 Winkler Road, Fort Myers, 481-4040, Interim Pastor Jim Eggert Pastor Peter Weeks Sunday Services: 8:30 a.m. Traditional; 10 a.m. Blended Traditional and Contemporary; 11:30 a.m. Contemporary. Childrens Sunday School, Adult /Teen Bible Classes, 10 a.m.

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201312 Time To Make Your 2013 Angling Resolutions by Capt. Matt MitchellNew years resolutions generally come and go with what seems like most of them being about not doing, changing or cutting back on something you probably enjoy (i.e. smoking, drinking, eating, etc.) What makes sense to me this time of year is making a resolution to do more of something you enjoy doing. This could be catching that personal best fish of a certain species, introducing someone new to the joy of fishing or even learning a new area, species or technique that you simply have never put in the time to learn. Fishing as much as I do, I often find myself getting into the rut of fishing the same productive places over and over. Working as a guide, I understand that this is what I get paid for and returning to hot spots is a big huge part to consistently catching quality fish. Guiding is basically taking your anglers/clients to the places you caught fish in the days and trips prior, and taking as much of the guess work as possible out of fishing. I have learned over the years though scouting out new areas without clients is what catches fish with clients. Even though Pine Island Sound is only roughly 17 miles long, there are just some areas I have never put in my time to explore and work out the patterns of the fish in these places. This new year, I plan on spending more of my down time learning new water. We have hundreds of miles of mangrove shoreline all within easy reach in the sound, yet it still holds so many secrets and patterns that have yet to be discovered. Finding these new hot spots is a twopart thing: when you do go and put in your time fishing new areas and they turn out to not be productive, its still a learning experience. Simply eliminate these places until a different tide or season. Fishing is so much more than just catching fish, its also about knowing there are not fish in a area. When you do get it right, though there is nothing sweeter or more satisfying than breaking the code and finding a brand new honey hole that has been right under your nose for years. Another thing I plan on doing more of this year is spending more time fishing near shore structure. Our local waters are loaded with wrecks, rock piles, live bottom and ledges many within a few miles of the beach. For years now, I have had a huge book of GPS numbers that I got from a longtime offshore guide. Going through these numbers will be quite a process, first to organize them, then to pick out the ones that are close enough to fish. Then comes the much more enjoyable part of going out to the marks to see what is out there. This is a huge project as there are simply hundreds of numbers. I have purchased a handheld GPS for this sole purpose but have yet to get around to spending the time to enter in the numbers. This will be the year. No matter many hours a year Im lucky enough to spend on the water, it just seems there is never enough time to do it all. Our small little area on the Gulf of Mexico offers so many opportunities that even a lifetime of fishing will not reveal them all... no matter how hard you fish. Lucky for us anglers, though, even the small percentage we do know means awesome fishing. Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for reading!Capt. Matt Mitchell has been fishing local waters since he moved to Sanibel in 1980. He now lives in St. James City and works as a back country fishing guide. If you have comments or questions email captmattmitchell@aol.com. Introduction To Using GPS Class The San Carlos Bay Sail & Power Squadron, a unit of the United States Power Squadrons, will be offering a class in basic GPS operation on Saturday, January 19 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. This class will be offered again in March. The class is designed to introduce new users to GPS. The class will include discussions of marine navigation, how a GPS works, and GPS limitations. There will be an extensive presentation on what a GPS can do and what a boater can do with GPS. For those interested in purchasing a GPS, you will understand what a GPS can do for you and some of the key features to look for as you shop for a GPS. The cost of the class is $30. The class is being taught at the San Carlos Bay Sail & Power Squadron Classroom, located at 16048 San Carlos Blvd at the corner of Kelly Road (across from ACE Hardware) in Fort Myers. Students can register online at www. scbps.com or call 466-4040. Send Us Your Fish TalesThe River Weekly would like to hear from anglers about their catches. Send us details including tackle, bait and weather conditions, date of catch, species and weight, and include photographs with identification. Drop them at the River Weekly, 1609 Hendry Street, Suite 15, Fort Myers, Florida 33901, or email to press@riverweekly.com. A personal best tarpon is always a good new years resolution ISLAND MARINE SERVICES, INC. NEW MOTOR SALES REBUILT POWERHEADS FACTORY TRAINED MERCURY MARINER JOHNSON EVINRUDE SUZUKI YAMAHA OMC I/O'S MERCRUISERCourteous Professional Marine Repair Service Dockside Service Serving Sanibel & Captiva For Life472-3380 466-3344 Your Bottom Call on Paint PricesDave Doane NEW MOTOR SALES REBUILT POWERHEA D S FA C T O RY T R A I N E D MER C U RY MARINER JO HN SO N EVINR U D E S UZUKI YAMAHA O M C I/ O S MER C RU I S E R C ourteous Professional Marine Repair S erv i ce D oc k s i d e S erv i c e S ervin g S anibel & C aptiva For Li f e Y B t t Yo ur Botto m Yo ur B ot to m C Call on Paint Prices Call on Paint Prices Da v e D oa n e 1 Reservations Required for All Cruises All Cruises(239)472-5300Cruises depart from beautiful Captiva Islandwww.captivacruises.com Call for departure timeTHE BEST WAY TO SEE THE ISLANDS IS FROM THE WATER 10 a.m. Island Cruise to Useppa Or Cabbage Key Adventure Sailing Cruises 4:00 p.m. Dolphin Watch Cruise Beach & Shelling Cruise Sunset Serenade Cruise with Island Musicians BOAT RENTALSFishing Cabbage KeyDolphin Watching Captains Available472-5800Jensens Marina Captiva Island

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13 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 CROW Case Of The Week Rare Sea Turtle Returns Homeby Patricia MolloyOn November 10, a good samaritan found a Kemps Ridley floating near Chokoloskee Bay, close to Everglades City. It was the second Kemps admitted to CROW within a few short days. It was so ill that it had to be drydocked inside the clinics ICU for several days due to its extreme lethargy. Blood was drawn from both sea turtles on December 10 that confirmed Dr. Heathers fears; both were suffering from brevetoxicosis after exposure to the harmful algal blooms (or HABs) responsible for red tide. Of the five sea turtle species that swim in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Kemps Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) is the smallest, with an average adult weight of 100 pounds. These rare turtles reach maturity at 10 to 15 years and live to be 40 to 50 years old. Kemps tend to grow faster than other species of sea turtles, which leads to their shorter lifespan. While both Kemps were obviously juveniles, Age is a very difficult thing to tell with these guys. We are estimating the smaller one to be about a year or two old and the larger one at five to eight years old, said Tim Eberhart, assistant wildlife rehabilitator. Additionally, gender is very difficult to determine in juveniles; it usually is not apparent, at least externally, until they reach adulthood. Kemps feed mostly on crabs, but their diet also includes marine invertebrates and plants, especially when they are young. Sanibel Seafood is helping CROW with fresh and frozen food supplies for the saltwater turtles. If you saw these two on intake, you would say Wow! They were so sick and now they are very active in their tanks, noted Eberhart. In addition to the high brevetoxicosis levels on intake, the smaller Kemps will continue treatment at the clinic because it arrived very much under weight. Its health and appetite has improved greatly and it is now eating approximately 200 to 225 grams of squid per day and gaining. On December 19, the larger Kemps Ridley (formerly known as patient #3190) was released back into the wild at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Collier County. CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Inc.) is a non-profit wildlife hospital providing veterinary care for native and migratory wildlife from our local area. The hospital accepts patients seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mail donations to P.O. Box 150, Sanibel, FL 33957. Call 472-3644 or visit www.crowclinic.org. Kemps Ridley, former patient #3190, is shown coming up for air in one of CROWs sea turtle tanks during its rehabilitation. Once it was healthy enough for release, it crawled eagerly across the sand and back into its ocean home Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve ProgramsVisit the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, a beautiful Lee County Parks and Recreation facility located in the heart of Fort Myers, for a variety of activities this January. Special programs include a photo contest, sketching club, Full Moon Walk and alligator program. Visit our Interpretive Center to learn more about the plants and animals that live in the Slough or just talk to a friendly volunteer. The center is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and your entry is free with your paid parking fee of $1 per hour per vehicle. For more information, visit www. leeparks.org or call Heather Gienapp at 533-7556. Guided Nature Walks Daily (seven days a week) 9:30 to 11 a.m. 1:30 to 3 p.m. Visitors stroll along our fully accessible raised boardwalk trail with an experienced volunteer naturalist. Walk is 90 minutes long and travels three-quarters of a mile. Tour is free with paid parking of $1 per hour per vehicle. No reservations are necessary and no groups of eight or more. Photo Contest November 1 to January 31 Pick out your favorite Slough photos and enter them in our photo contest. All entries must be submitted by January 31. Each photographer may submit up to three photos for $10. Awards will be presented at a reception held at the Slough on Saturday, February 16 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Contest rules and entry forms are available at the Interpretive Center desk or online at www.sloughpreserve. org. Contest is sponsored by the Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. Call 533-7557 for details. Alligator Detectives Program Saturday, January 5 11 a.m. to noon Learn fun facts about Floridas favorite reptile in this one-hour program. Meet in the Interpretive Center. Reservations are not necessary. All ages are welcome and the program is free with your paid parking fee of $1 per hour per vehicle. Yoga Classes Tuesdays, January 8 to 29 9 to 10:15 a.m. Relax and restore in the sanctuary of the Slough with Terri Fields in this beginner to intermediate level traditional yoga class. Students must be capable of getting up and down from the floor and must have some ability to stretch and move. The fee is $32 for a four-week session. Meet on the back deck of the Interpretive Center with a mat and towel (a small number of mats will be available for use). Reservations are required by calling 5337440 or online at www.leeparks.org Drawing Inspiration Through The Slough A Sketching Club Fridays, January 11 and 25 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Join Suzanne Frechette an experienced Slough volunteer naturalist and artist as she leads plein air sketching workshops at the Slough. Artists (beginner through advanced) are welcome to participate. The workshops will be limited to six participants who will provide their own art materials and sketchbooks, working primarily in graphite, ink, watercolor, pastels and other portable, non-toxic media. Each session will end with a half hour to share your work with others in the group. Reservations required by contacting Suzanne at 313-6201 or suzanne. frechette@gmail.com with a subject line of Sketching Club. No fees required, but donations of $10 per session to the Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve are encouraged. Friends Gathering Wednesday, January 23rd 7 to 8:30 p.m. Join the Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve for their monthly gathering. The guest speaker will be Neil Wilkinson, a professor at FGCU, who will discuss In Defense of Knowledge. Meet in the Interpretive Center. Reservations are required by calling the Friends at 5337557. Full Moon Walk Saturday, January 26 6 to 7:30 p.m. Experience the Slough in a new light the light of the full moon as visitors enjoy a guided sensory walk. Listen for some of the night life, smell night fragrances and get a new perspective of the Slough. Experienced volunteer naturalists lead small groups around the trail for this walk. The fee is $5 per person aged 6 and older. Reservations are required by calling 533-7440 or online at www. leeparks.org. Skull ID 101 Tuesdays, January 8 and 22 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Discover what animals eat, how developed their senses are and more just by looking at their skulls with volunteer Chuck Schmitz. Reservations are not necessary. Program is free with your paid parking fee of $1 per hour per vehicle. Meet at the amphitheater. Outstanding Otters Tuesdays, January 15 and 29 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Listen to fascinating facts about River Otters from volunteer interpretive naturalist Dotty Brown. Touch otter fur, see real otter taxidermy and find out why they are so well adapted to living in a wetland. Drop in anytime from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. No reservations are necessary. Meet on the back deck of the Interpretive Center. The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is a wetland preserve with a raised boardwalk, open to the public seven days a week from dawn until dusk. Visitors to this Lee County Parks and Recreation site will see examples of old Florida in the plants and animals that live there. This natural setting provides the perfect backdrop for Florida wildlife such as wading birds, turtles, alligators, otters, squirrels, woodpeckers, butterflies, dragonflies and more. Opportunities to see wildlife arecontinued on page 14

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201314 An Inside Look At Wildlife Recovery submitted by Claudia BurnsThe CROW Picture Show offers an insiders look at why critters come to CROW, and features photos of the wild animals who wind up there. Last year, CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) Southwest Floridas only wildlife hospital cared for 4,253 sick, injured and orphaned animals. Of the 200 different species, 58 percent were birds, with 36 percent mammals and six percent reptiles/ amphibians. Due to restrictions imposed by governmental agencies, CROW cannot allow visitors to view patients in person. But in this 30-minute presentation, visitors will see numerous photos of current and past patients, with commentary by Claudia Burns, a veteran clinic volunteer. The next CROW Picture Show will be held on Friday, January 11 at 11 a.m. in the CROW Healing Winds Visitor Education Center at 3883 SanibelCaptiva Road, across from The Sanibel School. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for teens, free for members and children 12 and under. The fee includes the presentation, plus the opportunity to explore the hospitals hands-on educational facility and become familiar with CROWs efforts to save wildlife through compassion, care and education. For more information, call 472-3644 ext. 228. To learn more about CROW, visit www.crowclinic.org. From page 13Sloughplentiful, whether walking out on the trail or sitting at a pond overlook. The Interpretive Center houses nature displays about the plants and animals that live in the Slough. There are hands-on items for visitors of all ages. Entry is free with your paid parking fee of $1 per hour per vehicle. Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is located at 7751 Penzance Blvd. in Fort Myers. Call 533-7550 for more information. Lee County Linear Park Partially Closed The bicycle and pedestrian path south of Daniels Parkway in the John Yarbrough Linear Park will be closed January 2-18. The temporary closure from Daniels to the footbridge entering the Camelot subdivision is part of an ongoing project that Lee Countys Natural Resources Department is doing to expand the filter marsh in JY Linear Park between Daniels Parkway and Ben C. Pratt/ Six Mile Cypress Parkway to improve water quality. The project is expected to be completed in June. The filter marsh helps cleanse urban runoff before it enters the Ten Mile Canal which flows into Estero Bay. JY Linear Park is among Lee County Parks & Recreations premier sites for cyclists, joggers, in-line skaters and dog walkers. The park formerly was called Ten Mile Linear Park but in 2009 was renamed in honor of longtime retiring Lee Parks & Recreation Director John Yarbrough. Portions of the six-mile-long park that are not involved in the filter marsh project will remain open. Park hours are sunrise to sunset daily. For more information, visit www.leeparks.org or call 533-7275. Baby barn owl Photos courtesy of CROW Baby bobcat sleeping Baby raccoon Baby screech owl Free Refuge ProgramsFrom fishing and biking the refuge, to learning about gators and crocs, the seasonal calendar of free programs and tours at the JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge begins on Sunday, January 6 and runs through March 29. Daily programs begin at 8:30 a.m. and include such diverse topics as Nature Photography, Plants of the Bailey Tract, Calusa Shell Mound Tours, Floridas Venomous Wildlife, and Family Craft & Story Time. We have something for visitors of all ages, said refuge education specialist Ranger Becky Wolff. The free refuge programs and tours last anywhere from a half hour to two hours. For a full calendar of programs and tours and descriptions, visit www.dingdarlingsociety.org/refuge-programs. Educational programs are made possible through support from the Ding Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS). A naturalist-guided Indigo Trail Hike is one of more than 20 free programs the refuge offers daily throughout the season From page 1Farmers MarketsFriday: Fort Myers Beach Farmers Market, under the Sky Bridge between Second and Third Streets. 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. through April, rain or shine. Fruits and vegetables, flowers, seafood, baked goods, snack foods and plants. Call 7650202 ext. 103 or go to www. fortmyersbeachfl. gov. Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through April 26. Fruits, vegetables, breads, honey, soaps, jams and seafood. Call 691-9249 or go to www.leeparks.org. Saturday: GreenMarket at Alliance of the Arts, 10091 McGregor Boulevard near the Colonial Blvd. intersection. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. An exclusive selection of locally grown, caught and cultivated foods and other products available to sample and purchase. Enjoy live entertainment by local musicians and fun activities for kids. Call 939-2787 or go to www.artinlee.org. Cape Coral Chamber Farmers Market in Club Square, downtown Cape Coral. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through May 11. Locally grown produce, native plants, fresh Gulf seafood, live music/entertainment and informative community presentations. Call 549-6900 or go to www.capecoralfarmersmarket.com. Sunday: Sanibel Island Farmers Market, 800 Dunlop Road (City Hall, next to the Sanibel Public Library). 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through April. Call 472-3700. Betsy Ventura and Jean Baer run the Lakes Park Farmers Market on Fridays

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15 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 Caring For Your PlantsPotting Soilby Justen DobbsMany gardeners are overwhelmed by all of the different brands of potting soil for sale at the local gardening stores. The large agricultural product companies such as Miracle Grow and Scotts are always competing for a stake in the multi-billion dollar horticulture and agriculture industries. They modify their soils to include moisture control and continuous feeding, but do these claims hold up? What is the best type of soil to use for your houseplants and landscape plants? Is it worth the extra money to get the expensive potting soils? Soils range from simple to complex and depend on what type of plant or tree they are sustaining. In order to explain this in detail, we will begin with the simplest soil and then work our way to the more complex mixtures. 1. Fill dirt Standard dirt that can be dug up or excavated out of our Southwest Florida ground. This dirt is good for large landscaping projects that incorporate versatile trees and plants such as natives. Fill dirt is typically on the alkaline side of the pH scale and has fairly good drainage but no nutrients. 2. Bulk potting soil for small plants and annuals This is the cheapest soil you can buy at local gardening stores and is typically comprised of peat moss with a small amount of other organic matter. This soil is fine for small projects, vegetables and annuals. It is typically on the acidic side of the pH scale, so make sure your plants are suited for an acidic soil. 3. Mid-grade potting soil This usually contains peat moss, perlite (small white particles), wood shavings or bark, and possibly some silica sand. This soil is the most versatile and can be used for flowering plants, hardwood trees, native palms and plants, vegetables, grasses and many other standard landscape applications. It does not contain moisture control or fertilizer, so you will need to water it often and add your own fertilizer. 4. Premium potting soil This is basically the same as mid-grade potting soil, but they have added slow-release granular fertilizer (typically small, green capsules) and/or small gel capsules that absorb and release water. This potting soil is ideal for Impatients, rare plants, rooted cuttings and any other delicate plant that needs extra care. This soil can also be used as to amend your Florida soil when planting landscape plants as it will give them a better chance at rooting or transplanting. 5. Custom mixed soil This is a commercial grade custom mix that can be made to your own specifications, typically bought in cubic yards. Most nurseries and tree growers have their own custom mixture made to suit the plants they are growing. I prefer a mixture of peat moss, perlite, contractors grade sand and fine pine bark. This mixture drains well for cactus and succulents, but also provides enough moisture for palms and cycads. Ask your landscaper for details. Dobbs is a landscape architect in south Florida specializing in custom, upscale landscapes. He can be reached at seabreezenurseries@gmail.com. Orchids grow best in a custom mixture of tree bark, perlite and charcoal Small seedlings require soil that carefully controls moisture, pH and nutrients Plant SmartLandscape Palette: A Touch Of Blueby Gerri ReavesAdding more yellow or white flowers to your landscape is easy, for species of those hues abound. But if you want a touch of blue or lavender, the choices are fewer. Here are three low-maintenance, wildlife-friendly native species to get you started on bluing-up the yard. Talk about blueblue mistflowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) feathery flowers have been described as clear blue, powder blue, azure blue, bluish purple, reddish purple, pinkish blue and pink-purplish. They bloom throughout the year, more plentifully in summer and fall. The flower clusters contain up to 70 flowerheads, which are a nectar source for native butterflies, including the zebra longwing. Hardy and resilient, this sprawling perennial couldnt be more low maintenance. Give it a moist area in full to partial shade and allow it to reseed and spread via horizontal underground stems. The abundant flowers of a blue jacquemontia vine ( Jacquemontia pentanthos) on a trellis, pergola or fence create a stunning effect. This vine, which is also called skyblue clustervine and Key West morning glory, also makes a gorgeous dense groundcover dotted with white-throated funnel-shaped flowers that bloom throughout the year. About an inch across, they last only a day, but what loveliness they give in that short life. Planting it is an especially good idea, since its listed as endangered by the state of Florida. Besides, it is pest-free and highly salt-tolerant, needs little water, and provides nectar for butterflies. Plant it in well-drained soil and full to partial shade. Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass ( Sisyrinchium angustifolium) makes an excellent groundcover or border plant. The purplish blue six-petaled flowers with yellow centers bloom most of the year, more profusely winter through summer. A native of wet pinelands and prairies, bogs, riverbanks and hammocks, this member of the iris family prefers moist soil. However, it will survive short droughts and even tolerate nutrient-poor soil. Plant Smart explores sustainable gardening practices that will help you create an environmentally responsible, low-maintenance South Florida landscape. Feathery blue mistflower attracts butterflies such as the zebra longwing photos by Gerri Reaves One of Floridas most beautiful native vines is the endangered blue jacquemontia Plant narrowleaf blue-eyed grass for a groundcover sprinkled with blue

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201316 Edison & Ford Winter Estates Programs Throughout the month of January, Edison & Ford Winter Estates will offer special activities, programs and events. These will include the return of Directors Tours and Boat Cruises, as well as the daily offerings of tours of the historic homes, gardens and museum. Behind the Scenes Tours on Thursdays new time of 11 a.m. starting January 3 A Behind the Scenes Tour takes you inside and up close in the Edison and Ford homes led by the Curator staff. This tour includes the homes, gardens, lab and museum. The ticket cost is free to Edison Ford members and $40 to non-members. Space is limited and reservations are suggested. Edison Ford Monthly Volunteer Meeting: Patrick Smiths Florida, A Land Remembered January 8 at 9:30 a.m. Few, if any, books have captured the spirit and history of Florida as Patrick Smiths beloved novel, A Land Remembered and subsequent novels, which follow the settlers and Native Americans of the emerging state of Florida. This is an opportunity to get to know the author and his work as Smiths son, Rick, takes the stage to present a multimedia show about his father and the extraordinary experiences he had. These experiences enabled his father to write with such authority about the Florida pioneers, the Seminoles, migrant workers, river rats of Mississippi, the social injustices of the South and the challenges of the present. Come and experience an unforgettable journey into a Florida that once was, is no more, and never will again be. Conversation and book signing will follow in the Museum Store. The meeting is open to current Edison Ford volunteers as well as prospective volunteers. The Garden Talk: Winter Edible Gardens, January 12 at 9 a.m. Growing great edibles in the winter months in Florida gardens is not a mystery once you start. If you didnt get your garden growing this fall, it is not too late to start now for a great harvest this spring. Join the Edison Ford horticultural staff and learn how to create an edible winter garden. The cost to Edison Ford members is free and $5 for non-members. Participants will receive 20% off in the Edison Ford Garden Shoppe. The Sunday Brunch and Day of History begins January 13 at 10:30 a.m. This program will consist of a downtown walking tour, brunch and tour with True Tours, Hotel Indigo and Edison Ford, and includes an audio tour of the Edison and Ford winter estates, lab and museum; downtown walking tour that includes local history and architectural elements of historical buildings, and brunch at Broadway Bistro. The ticket cost is $39 and includes tour, brunch and admission to Edison Ford. Space is limited and reservations are suggested. Homeschool: Designing Maglev Systems, January 14 or 18 at 9:30 11:30 a.m. (students grades 1 -6) Homeschool students will act as motorists and design a maglev transportation system and other projects that demonstrate magnetic properties. Students and their parents can enroll in a two-hour program with curriculum that follows the Next Generation Florida Sunshine State Standards. Pre-visit curriculum materials will be emailed to registered families. Registration is required. The cost to Edison Ford Members is $10, nonmembers $20 (one adult, one child), with an additional $10 per child. Boat Cruises and Tour from Captiva return for season, January 16 at 10 a.m. The Edison & Ford Winter Estates and Captiva Cruises will be offering Edison Ford Boat Cruises & Tours from Captiva Island beginning January 16. The Boat Cruise & Tour will be offered every Wednesday during season. The cruise tour shows the importance of the Caloosahatchee ecologically and culturally, includes a view of the Edison and Ford estates from the water, lunch at the Royal Palm Yacht Club and guided tour of the Edison Ford estates. The ticket cost is $75 for adults, $65 for children (ages 12 and under) plus tax and includes cruise, Edison Ford admission and lunch. Seating is limited and reservations are suggested. Boat Cruise, Lunch and Tour of Edison Ford begins January 16 at 12 and 1 p.m. A river cruise, lunch and self-guided tours will be held at 12 and 1 p.m. with Edison Ford and Captiva Cruises. The tour includes an audio tour of the Edison and Ford winter estates, lab and museum; lunch overlooking the river at the Royal Palm Yacht Club; and cruise of the Caloosahatchee River with Captiva Cruises. Tickets may be purchased at the Edison Ford ticket office. The ticket cost is $45 and includes cruise, lunch and admission to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Emerging Inventors: Follow the Leader, January 17 at 9-10:30 a.m. An Emerging Inventors Early Learners class for onethrough three-year-old children and their parents, grandparents or other family members will be offered. It includes socializing with others, educational activities, story time, singing, crafts and exploring the homes, gardens and museum at the Edison Ford. The cost to Edison Ford Members is $5, and $15 for non-members (one adult, one child), with an additional $5 per child. Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting, January 25 at 10 a.m. Join Edison Ford staff and volunteers in celebrating Florida Arbor Day as we plant a Queen orange tree in the Citrus Grove on the Ford estate. It is a seedling of unknown origin which was found in a grove near Bartow, Florida. Since it survived the freeze of 1894-95, it was propagated in 1900 under the name King which was later changed to Queen. The tree is much like pineapple, has fewer seeds, higher soluble solids; is high-yielding and somewhat more cold-tolerant. Mr. Edison at one time had over 300 various citrus trees planted on his estate before 1928. Directors Tour: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Miami, January 26 The Directors Tours include our picks of great museums, gardens, and historic sites, as well as behind the scenes tours with directors, curators, and specialists in the field. The program cost includes lunch, travel arrangements and tour fees. Registration is required. The cost for Edison Ford members and volunteers is $90 and for non-members is $100. The Edison Ford is open daily from 9:00 a.m. 5:30 p.m. The Edison Ford is the winner of the 2009 National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is an official project of Save Americas Treasures at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site. For additional information or to register for programs call 334-7419 or visit www.edisonfordwinterestates.org. Boat cruises return for season Behind the Scene Tours with the Curator staff has a new time, 11 a.m. on Thursdays w ww.SeabreezeN u rseries.com ( 239 ) 5 60-142 2 Have your front yard xed up ju s s t i n time f or y our holida y parties! FREE Lan d scape Consu l tation! Visit o u r Website for more d etails m s, P al m e s, n ativ e n s croto n d s, bromelia d e s, b uttery bush e re & mu ch m or TALK T O U S

THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201318 Artistic Collaborations Exhibition Opens January 4The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers offers a wide variety of classes throughout the year for adults and children. A new show called Artistic Collaborations opens Friday, January 4 in its Member Gallery featuring artwork created in a variety of mediums by Alliance instructors and their students. The public is invited to view the work during an opening reception from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Artistic Collaborations runs during the featured solo exhibit in the Alliance Main Gallery. Curtains by sculptor and installation artist Joanna White also opens on January 4. During these exhibits, which will remain on display to the public until January 26, artwork created by students from the Human Trafficking Awareness Partnership will be on display in the theater lobby. For more information go to www.artinlee.org or call 939-2787. The Alliance for the Arts proudly supports artists and arts organizations in our area as the state-designated local arts agency for Lee County. The Alliance campus and galleries are open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays and is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. Fall in the Blue Ridge by Andy Burnam Attitude by Nancie LaDuke Houston by Roger Wallace Art Display Celebrates Lee County 125th AnniversaryLee County Commissioner Tammy Hall is supporting local artists by giving them an opportunity to display their artwork in her Fort Myers office. For the next several weeks, the Portrait and Figure Painters Society of Southwest Florida, Inc will display their work celebrating 125 years of Lee County in the District 4 Office located at the Old County Courthouse in Downtown Fort Myers. The display includes portraits of historical and current Lee County locals. The work will be on display until January 11. The public is welcome to stop by and view the work and learn more about the artists. Please call 533-2226 to confirm office hours for viewing the artwork. The arts are an important part of the culture and development of our community says Commissioner Hall. I believe that government can play an important role in public awareness, developing the use of public spaces for display and interaction of art, and for the encouragement and commitment of continued financial support, both public and private, of all the arts. Other local artists will be featured every six weeks. Commissioner Halls office is on the first floor of the Old County Courthouse, 2120 Main Street in Downtown Fort Myers. Commissioner Hall is the recipient of the Angel of the Arts Award Business Sponsor 2009. She was elected to the Board of Lee County Commissioners in 2004 and re-elected in 2006. Her district includes North Fort Myers and the central and northern portions of Cape Coral. For more information on this program, please contact Carmen Salom, Executive Assistant, at 533-2226. Pictured with Commissioner Hall are Renate Reuter, Julie Olander, and Betsy Koscher, all members of Portrait and Figure Painters Society of SW Florida, Inc.Screaming Orphans Return To The DavisThe Rotary Club of Fort Myers will present the 4th annual Screaming Orphans concert at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center on January 26. The 2012 event sold out and offered guests a fantastic show. The Screaming Orphans are four talented, funny, high-spirited, musicallyobsessed sisters who had the good fortune to be raised in the magical city of Bundoran in County Donegal, Ireland. The quartet has a big following across the United States, and is quite popular in Fort Myers, having played there several times in the past. The band Kilt The Messenger will perform outside in front of the Sidney and Berne Davis Arts Center beginning at 6 p.m., followed by the Screaming Orphans on the inside stage at 8 p.m. All proceeds benefit The Lee County Alliance for the Arts, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and the Rotary Trust Fund. Food will be provided by Reubens Catering and Special Deserts by Norman Love Confections. Tickets are $60 each and include dinner and the performances. For sponsorship information and/or to reserve a table, call 332-8158 or 980-1077. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.sbdac.com or onsite at the Alliance for the Arts. For more information about Rotary, visit www.RotaryFortMyers.org or call 332-8158. From page 1Bon Jovi Tribute Bandreputation as one of the most dedicated and respected musicians in the area. His band Rainmaker enjoyed an enormous regional following, packing virtually every place they played. Staber delivers a worldclass voice and charismatic stage presence to each and every live performance. Bell has been a guitar-slinging favorite of the Baltimore/Washington music scene since the 1980s. Listed among his numerous recording credits is the single Raised On The Radio, which was featured in the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. He proudly shared the stage with many of the most popular rock acts of the era, including Foreigner, Billy Idol and Grand Funk Railroad. Bell temporarily resided in Naples in 2000, and in 2011, decided to call Southwest Florida home. Morrow is a Kansas City native and comes from a family of four drummers. Morrows versatile rock/fusion drumming made him a rising star in the Midwest club circuit and studio scene. He has shared the national spotlight with artists such as Ted Nugent, Sammy Hagar and the New York Jazz Quintet. Morrow moved to Southwest Florida in 2004 and quickly established himself as the go-to rock drummer in the region. Miller began playing bass after his family moved from Columbus, Ohio to rural Oklahoma in 1981. After appearing in Guitar Player magazines Spotlight column, Millers band was signed by Van Halen manager Marshall Berle, and the bands first album was produced by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. In addition to his bass playing prowess, Miller is also a published author. He has proudly called Naples home since 2003. Sallen is a keyboard wizard with the gift of perfect pitch. Introduced to the piano at age 4, the Detroit native immediately began a regimen of intense classical music training and was routinely performing Bach toccatas by age 10. His passion for rock music led him to stagesharing performances with The Black Crowes and Eddie Money, and headlining tours with Southwest Floridas very own Geek Skwad. A musicians musician who is proficient in 12 other instruments, including bass, brass, and strings, Sallen has lived in Southwest Florida since 2002. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 on the day of the show. The Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First Street in the downtown Fort Myers River District. Visit www.sbdac.com or call 333-1933 for tickets or more information.

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19 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 Florida Moments Coming To The Davis Art CenterPhotographer Dennis Churchs show Florida Moments will open at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center on Friday, January 4 during Art Walk. The photographs were all made in Florida but are not just about the place. They are also about a state of mind and heart. The historic Davis Art Center evokes nostalgia for treasured moments in the past and provides the perfect setting for Churchs exhibit. Church believes that the fountain of youth, for which everyone searches, is actually freedom from self and ones own mind, and the product of that: enduring joy. Photography and photographs do that for him. Its process and products keep him in the moment, and in the moment there is eternity, joy, energy and excitement that wake him up to all life has to offer. The exhibit consists of 76 images, each one 24 by 36 inches. Mr. Church has added extra photographs because of the wonderful exhibition space. The large images will fill the Davis Art Center with colorful, everyday moments which often go by unnoticed but have been captured by Church, along with all the beauty and exhilaration contained in them. Born in Mason City, Iowa in 1949, Church grew up on the family farm in Mitchell County, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State University. In 1975, he moved to Wisconsin and attended The University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying psychology. He began photographing that same year and was extremely moved by the power of the medium, so he left graduate school to pursue artistic goals. Church is primarily a self-taught photographer and attended artists workshops in Millerton, New York and The Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York. He received project art grants in Wisconsin and exhibited extensively in the Midwest. He was a freelance photographer for 20 years, working on assignment for local, regional and national magazines, advertising and public relations firms. Church left creative photography for close to 20 years to pursue business interests, but began photographing again after being Rip Van Winkled awake after acquiring new digital equipment. He has since produced a new large body of work and now lives in Bonita Springs. He is highly influenced by the photographers Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander and William Eggleston, the painter Edward Hopper and the creative depth and endurance of Bob Dylan. Winogrand said, Nothing is as mysterious as a fact clearly stated. Complementing that, Church adds, Nothing is as exhilarating as a moment fully experienced. Florida Moments is a collection of those moments. The exhibit opens on January 4 at 6 p.m. and continues through January 25. Catalogs representing the show will be available for purchase. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First Street in the downtown Fort Myers River District. Art Fair, Naples, Florida 2011 by Dennis Church Farmers Market, Naples, Florida, 2010 by Dennis Church Key West, Florida, 2008 by Dennis Church Bonita Springs, Florida, 2008 by Dennis Church To advertise in the Island Sun Call 395-1213

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201320 Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library ProgramsNext months roster of activities at Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library offers topics for all ages. The following activities are free to the public: Adults Make A Sailors Valentine 9:30 a.m. Friday, January 4 Sailors Valentines are beautiful, unique expressions of love. Try your hand at making one. Materials are supplied, but feel free to bring special shells if you wish. Registration is required. Researching Your Irish Ancestors 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays January 5: Exploring Your Irish Roots in the United States and Canada January 12: Researching Records in Ireland Irish genealogical research has long been plagued by myths and stereotypes which cause many to feel it is almost impossible to trace immigrant ancestors back to Ireland. While Irish genealogy can be challenging, many new resources are available to overcome these problems. This two-part seminar is designed to provide techniques and resources with a proven track record for success in helping overcome these challenges. Registration is required. Introduction to the Keyboard and Mouse 9:15 a.m. Monday, January 7 This is an overview of computer basics and navigating the keyboard, specifically the basic functions of major keys. Learn how to use the mouse, when to click, double click and right click and how to use the vertical and horizontal scroll. A self-paced online tutorial with exercises for practice is included. Registration is required. Introduction to Microsoft Word 11:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday, January 7 Learn how to change font types and sizes, paragraph spacing, alignment (left, center, right and justified), copy-andpaste, how to insert pictures into a document and how to save and retrieve documents. Registration is required. Introduction to Microsoft Windows and the Internet 9:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 8 Learn the basics of the Microsoft Windows Operating System, includes creating and organizing files, documents and photos. Discover the basics of the Internet, the various Internet browsers, and Internet security. Learn how to narrow your Internet searches for better results. Time will be provided to perform actual Internet searches on topics of your choice. Registration is required. Introduction to Email 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, January 8 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 22 Bring your email account information including login and password. If you do not have an email account, you can establish one for free. The focus will be on email basics, including security and etiquette. Youll learn how to change font types and sizes, as well as align text and insert pictures into an email. Time will be provided to practice sending emails to other members of the class. Registration is required. Creating Resumes 9:15 a.m. Thursday, January 10 9:15 a.m. Saturday, January 19 Discover the librarys resources on building a resume and then create your own. You will need the name, address, telephone number and name of supervisor for each of your jobs for the past 10 years. In order to save your resume, you will either need to know how to access your email account (including login and password information) or bring a flash drive on which to save the document. If you already have a resume that youd like to update, bring a copy of that resume on a flash drive so it can be downloaded. Registration is required. Introduction to Excel 11:45 a.m. Thursday, January 10 5:30 p.m. Monday, January 28 This seminar will provide an overview of Microsoft Excel. Excel is a software program designed for use in the creation of numeric computations and analysis. It is a spreadsheet application used to create and manage business transactions that allows users to organize, format and calculate data with formulas using a spreadsheet system broken up by rows and columns. Registration is required. Make a Terrific Tila Bead Bracelet 10 a.m. Friday, January 11 Make a lovely bracelet using unique Tila beads. This bracelet works up fast and looks great. All materials supplied. Registration is required. Very Vivacious Valentines! 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 15 Make beautiful valentines for friends, family or that special someone. All materials supplied. Registration is requested. Book Discussion: Jacqueline Winspears Maisie Dobbs Noon Wednesday, January 16 Have you met...? We all have favorite authors, but finding new authors to love can be a fun part of the book discussion experience. Each month, we will read the first novel in an authors series. How to Apply for a Habitat For Humanity Home 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 29 Get started on the path to a new home. Habitat For Humanity representative Tanya Soholt will offer instructions and information on applying for affordable housing through the Habitat program. Weaving: A Journey Through Life 9:30 a.m. Thursday, January 31 Begin the first step in your weaving journey with Ricki Howie of the Weavers of Char-Lee. In this series of programs, we will begin with a simple project and work up to something fabulous. All materials will be supplied. Future program dates to be determined. Registration is required. Family Family Storytime 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 16, 23 and 30 This program is for the whole family and lasts about 30 minutes. Registration is required. Baby-Parent Rhyme Time 10:30 a.m. Thursdays, January 17 and 24 Be prepared to tickle, jump and fly with your baby. These rhymes and songs are for infants, up to 24 months, accompanied by an adult. This 20-minute program is filled with songs designed to introduce rhyming and movement to infants. Registration is required. Children Reading Academy 4:30 p.m. Thursdays, January 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 Reading, spelling, puppets and games! Get a reading boost with this fun-filled program. For grades K to 5. Children participating are expected to know how to read and write. Sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library. Registration is required. Kids Read Down Fines 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, January 14 Children and teens can earn a $2 coupon for every 15 minutes of reading, during the allotted time. A total of $8 per day may be earned. For ages 18 and younger. Coupons may be applied to cards issued to patrons age 18 and under only. Please bring your library card. Ancient Culture Jute Basket 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, January 16 Create your own Jute Basket. This lovely craft has been made for thousands of years. We will be adding beads as we weave the jute around the base. All supplies are provided. Sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library. Registration is required. Teens Learn to Weave with a Loom 3 p.m. Wednesday, January 2 Teens, learn to weave with a loom at your library. This will be an on-going program offered during the year. We will be using different materials to mix into the loom. This program is free and there will be an instructor to help assist you. Space is limited, so registration is required. Japanese Book Binding 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 9 Teens, come create your own book. All supplies will be provided. Pick your cover, decorate and write your own stories to tell your secret friend. Snacks will be provided. Registration is required. Kids Read Down Fines 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, January 14 Children and teens can earn a $2 coupon for every 15 minutes of reading, during the allotted time. A total of $8 per day may be earned. For ages 18 and younger. Coupons may be applied to cards issued to patrons age 18 and under only. Please bring your library card. Chinese New Year Candy Sushi Celebration 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 23 Come to our Year of the Snake Chinese New Year celebration. Make candy sushi and try picking it up with chopsticks. We will also make Chinese decorations for you to take home. Sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library. Registration is required. The Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library is located at 2050 Central Avenue in Fort Myers. For more information about a program or to register, call the library at 533-4600. A sign language interpreter is available with five business days notice to library staff. Assistive listening system available; request at desk. Check the Lee County Library Systems website at www.leelibrary.net to find out about programs at other locations. Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program. Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library ProgramsNext months roster of activities at the Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library offering topics for families, children and teens. The following activities are free to the public: Family Family Storytime 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays, January 16, 23 and 30 This program is for the whole family and lasts about 30 minutes. Children And Teen Kids Read Down Fines 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays, January 12, 19 and 26 Children and teens can earn a $2 coupon for every 15 minutes of reading, during the allotted time. A total of $8 per day may be earned. For ages 18 and younger. Coupons may be applied to cards issued to patrons age 18 and under only. Please bring your library card. The Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library is located at 3095 Blount Street in Fort Myers. For more information about a program or to register, call the library at 533-4150. A sign language interpreter is available with five business days notice to library staff. Assistive listening system available; request at desk. Check the Lee County Library Systems website at www.leelibrary.net to find out about programs at other locations. Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program. Share your community news with us. Call 415-7732, Fax: 415-7702 or email press@riverweekly.com

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Dbt Dbt Pnn Dfrt Pnn Dfrt Pnt Pnt Cnnt Cnnt Rt Rt Cnf Cnf F Ett F Ett L Wb L Wb Mb, Mb Mb, Mb Cnft O Pt Cnft O Pt A Sn A Sn PAVERS PAVERS GIGI GIGI D Gbtn, I. D Gbtn, I. 239-541-7282 www.gigicompanies.com 239-541-7282 www.gigicompanies.com Or Visit Our Showroom Or Visit Our Showroom Lic.# S3-12238 Stuffed Zucchini Flowers 20 fresh zucchini flowers 1 teaspoon mint leaves, finely chopped 1 ounce onion, grated 1 ounce zucchini, grated 1 ounce tomato, grated 3/4 cup Mexican rice 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 pinches salt 2 pinches pepper 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 cups cornmeal 2 tablespoons olive oil Preparation: Place the zucchini flowers in cold water to open and make the preparation easier. In a large mixing bowl, place the rice, all the chopped and grated ingredients, half of the olive oil and lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. With a small spoon, take small amounts of the stuffing and fill the zucchini flowers. Fold over the flower ends to seal the stuffing inside. Heat a saut pan over medium-high heat. Carefully dip the stuffed flowers into the egg mixture, then roll them in the cornmeal. Repeat this process with half of the stuffed flowers at a time. Gently saut the coated flowers in the oil until golden brown. Repeat in batches until all flowers have been cooked. Serve immediately. Yields 4 servings Stuffed Zucchini Flowers Shell Point Class On CoolidgeThe Academy at Shell Point invites Southwest Florida residents to attend an informative presentation by David Serra on our 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge. This is a free presentation, however, space is limited, so reservations are required. This event will take place on Thursday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m. in the Grand Cypress Room of The Woodlands at Shell Point Retirement Community. David Serra is the Executive Director of the Coolidge Foundation located in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. During this presentation, Serra will offer some visual imagery of Coolidges homeplace and the environment that shaped his life and public service, including his presidency. Serra will also discuss Coolidges philosophy as President, as well as presidential history in general. Historically misunderstood, Calvin Coolidges policies brought the United States great prosperity after World War I. Join us for a bit of a civics lesson that illuminates the man who said, We review the past not in order that we may return to it, but that we may find in what direction, straight and clear, it points into the future. We are looking forward to reviewing the life of Calvin Coolidge, as well as our countrys presidential history, with such a distinguished guest lecturer, said Teri Kollath, Manager of Academy and Volunteer Services. For reservations or for more information, call 489-8472. The Academy of Life Long Learning at Shell Point is an educational initiative for the residents of the retirement community. The Academy provides anywhere from 70 to 90 classes each semester that encompass a well-rounded curriculum of educational opportunities for senior adults. The Academy of Life Long Learning at Shell Point was named as one of 2008s most innovative active aging programs by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), an association that supports professionals who develop wellness/fitness facilities and services for age 50-plus adults. To learn more about Shell Point Retirement Community, visit www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131. From page 2Paving Paradisecommunity life of Fort Myers. The all-volunteer non-profit organization is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard on the campus of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. Contact the society at 9394044, or visit on Wednesday or Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon. Sources and acknowledgements: The archives of the Southwest Florida Historical Society and leetrust.org. Read us online at IslandSunNews.com 21 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201322 Additional Turkeys Donated To Food BankFollowing a personal donation from Algenol Biofuels CEO Paul Woods for 100 turkeys at Thanksgiving, Algenol Biofuels employees collected funds to provide an additional 662 turkeys to the Harry Chapin Food Bank for Christmas. The 120 employees contributed approximately $8,000 toward the holiday turkey drive; Walmart reduced its price for the turkeys, allowing the purchase of 500 turkeys, and also provided $4,500 to assist with the fixings. Algenol Biofuels Inc., developer of Direct To Ethanol technology for the production of advanced third-generation biofuels, was founded in Lee County in 2006, and expanded its presence in 2008 by opening its head office in Bonita Springs. Algenol further expanded in Lee County by opening their lab and outdoor facilities close to the airport in 2010, and many of their 120 employees have relocated to Southwest Florida from other areas. The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to families in need through a network of 160 nonprofit agencies in Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte and Glades counties that provide food to more than 30,000 people monthly. Over 1 million pounds of food are distributed by the Harry Chapin Food Bank monthly. For every dollar donated, about $6 in food value goes back to the community. In the past fiscal year, the Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed more than 15 million pounds of food and other grocery items valued at more than $24.9 million. This is roughly the equivalent of 12.5 million meals to people in need. To contribute to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, contact 334-7007 or go to harrychapinfoodbank.org. From page 1Guided Nature WalkRestroom facilities are available and the degree of difficulty is easy. Please remember to bring items you may need during the walk (i.e., water, hat, sunscreen, binoculars, camera, closed-toed shoes or boots, etc.) For more information call 707-2206 or log on to www.conservation2020. org for more information. This event is provided in cooperation with Lee County Parks and Recreation. The tour and parking are free. Algenol Biofuels CEO Paul Woods loads 500 turkeys onto a truck Algenol Biofuels CEO Paul Woods (center) and Walmart assistant manager Vee Arnold presented a check for $4,500 to Harry Chapin Food Bank representative Mike Rice Isabella Rasi 239-246-47161101 Periwinkle Way #105, Sanibel, FL 239-472-0044 ENGEL & VLKERS Excellence in Real Estate A step above! International Client Base 600 Shops Worldwide Multi-Lingual Staff Your success is my aim. Peace Lutheran Church 10th AnniversaryOn Sunday, January 20, at 9:30 a.m., Bishop Edward Benoway will preach at the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Organization of Peace Lutheran Church, Fort Myers. Peace is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that serves Fort Myers and Sanibel. The congregation grew from missionary work that was done on Sanibel in the 1970s and 1990s as Shepherd of the Isles Lutheran Church. In 1994, a community began to develop in south Fort Myers and worshipped at the Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge. In 1999, the Rev. Walter Still was appointed as the Pastor Developer. In 2005, the congregation began to use its current facility at 15840 McGregor Boulevard. The congregation is known for its worship, traditional organ and choir music, small group and servant ministry. The 10th anniversary will feature the premier performance of Living At Peace with God, a choral work composed by Art Gorman of South Bend, Indiana and a banner designed and crafted by Sandra Christ. Additional information about the celebration or the congregation can be obtained by calling the church at.437-2599.

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23 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 Randys Auto Repair, LLCwww.RandysAutoRepairLLC.com16191 San Carlos Blvd, Ste 1Fort Myers, FL 33908Tel. 267-2556WE REPAIR ALL MAKES & MODELS WHILE SPECIALIZING IN MERCEDES & BMW Lic No. MV 81675 HOURS: M-F: 9am 5:30pm Sat & Sun: By Appt.Ich spreche Deutsch Oil Change Special $17.99 Appointment Only (up to 5 qts. & no hidden fees) Fixed Right the First Time! School Smartby Shelley M. Greggs, NCSPDear Shelley, I want to observe at a school that I think I want my child to attend next year. Ive heard that a few schools no longer allow prospective parents to observe. What is the best way for me to ask for an observation? Jennifer C., Fort Myers, Florida Jennifer, I too have recently heard that schools do not want or allow parents to observe. However, for the most part, I think that parents are allowed to observe, although schools now may be setting more narrow parameters for observations. The principal may have very specific rules about observations and there may be set hours for this type of observation as well, so its important that you share your reasons and interest about the school. A very respectful way to do this and to set up the observation is through a personal letter or email to the schools principal. First, introduce yourself and your children. Tell the principal that you have heard good things about the school and how you became interested in the school. You should inform the principal why you want to observe and which grade(s) you would like to visit. Tell the principal what you would like to see. Do you want to see a reading group or math instruction for example? You should also tell the principal why you want to see the settings that you have described. Have you heard great things about this schools reading program and you want to see it in action? Give the principal as much information as you can about why this observation is important to you. Would you like to see other noninstructional settings such as the lunchroom or recess? You can learn a great deal about a schools organization by observing in these types of settings. If you are able to observe, remember that this is not the time for you to have private conversations with the teachers or with students. You are there strictly as a silent observer. Schedule a conference if you see something you want to discuss. And remember the mere fact of your presence may alter the classroom dynamics a bit. You need to understand that principals have very demanding schedules and may not be able to respond to you for several days or even a week. The principal may assign your observation to another staff member to handle and thats okay. It does not mean that the principal is not interested in you and your children; s/he is just busy with the students in current attendance at the school. Make sure to include your contact information in your correspondence. A follow-up message is appropriate if you do not hear back after a week or so. You will need to plan ahead for this, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to schedule and complete an observation. Observing in schools is generally a very interesting and enjoyable experience good luck! Ms. Greggs is adjunct faculty at Edison State College where she teaches psychology and education courses. She is also Nationally Certified School Psychologist and consultant for School Consultation Services, a private educational consulting company. Questions for publication may be addressed to smgreggs@gmail.com. Not all questions submitted can be addressed through this publication. Business SeminarThe Southwest Florida Small Business Resource Network (SBRN) will host a networking and discussion seminar about the 2013 economic outlook for small business owners on Thursday, January 17 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Myers Airport @ Town Center, 9931 Interstate Commerce Drive in Fort Myers. SBRN, a statewide organization, is sponsored locally by Florida Gulf Coast Universitys Small Business Development Center. The speaker for the meeting is Gary Jackson, director of the Regional Economic Research Institute and an economics professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. He will provide an overview of the regional economy and lead a discussion of the economic headwinds we are facing, including the need to address the Federal Budget Deficit. Jackson graduated with a PhD in economics from the University of Massachusetts and has extensive experience in economic forecasting, strategic planning, electricity markets, risk management and policy. The evening begins with the Resource Networks monthly Network After Five social event, where members and guests network and exchange ideas for growing their business. Cost for SBRN members is $15 per person, which includes hors doeuvres. Guests and unaffiliated small business owners cost $25 per person. Space is limited and RSVP is required. To register, go online to www.sbdcseminars.org. Deadline for registration is Wednesday, January 16. The Small Business Resource Network provides a reliable connection between seasoned professionals who service the small business arena and the small business owner. In addition to offering consulting services, the organization conducts monthly meetings that provide topics of interest to its members. For more information on the resource network, visit www.sbrn.org. To register for the event or to get directions, contact Lorna Kibbey, coordinator at the Small Business Development Center, at 745-3700. As an investor, how can you avoid making mistakes? Its not always easy, because investing can be full of potential pitfalls. But if you know what the most common mistakes are at different stages of an investors life, you may have a better chance of avoiding these costly errors. Lets take a look at some investment mistakes youll want to avoid when youre young, when youre in mid-career, when youre nearing retirement and when youve just retired. When youre young Mistake: Investing too conservatively (or not at all) If youre just entering the working world, you may not have a lot of money with which to invest. But dont wait until your income grows; putting away even a small amount each month can prove quite helpful. Additionally, dont make the mistake of investing primarily in short-term vehicles that may preserve your principal but offer little in the way of growth potential. Instead, position your portfolio for growth. Of course, stock prices will always fluctuate, but you potentially have decades to overcome these short-term declines. Since this money is for retirement, your focus should be on the long term and its impossible to reach long-term goals with short-term, highly conservative investments. When youre in mid-career Mistake: Putting insufficient funds into your retirement accounts At this stage of your life, your earning power may well have increased substantially. As a result, you should have more money available to invest for the future; specifically, you may now be able to max out on your IRA and still boost your contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as your 401(k), 403(b) or 457(b). These retirement accounts offer tax advantages that you may not receive in ordinary savings and investment accounts. Try to put more money into these retirement accounts every time your salary goes up. When youre nearing retirement Mistake: Not having balance in your investment portfolio When theyre within just a few years of retirement, some people may go to extremes, either investing too aggressively to try to make up for lost time or too conservatively in an attempt to avoid potential declines. Both these strategies could be risky. So as you near retirement, seek to balance your portfolio. This could mean shifting some of your investment dollars into fixed-income vehicles to provide for your current income needs while still owning stocks that provide the growth potential to help keep up with inflation in your retirement years. When youve just retired Mistake: Failing to determine an appropriate withdrawal rate Upon reaching retirement, you will need to carefully manage the money youve accumulated in your IRA, 401(k) and all other investment accounts. Obviously, your chief concern is outliving your money, so youll need to determine how much you can withdraw each year. To arrive at this figure, take into account your current age, your projected longevity, the amount of money youve saved and the estimated rate of return youre getting from your investments. This type of calculation is complex, so you may want to consult with a financial professional. By avoiding these errors, you can help ensure that, at each stage of your life, youre doing what you can to keep making progress toward your financial goals. Jennifer Basey is a financial advisor in Fort Myers. She can be reached at jennifer.basey@edwardjones.com. Airport TrafficDuring the month of November, 658,629 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport, an increase of 7.5 percent compared to November 2011. Year-to-date, passenger traffic is down 2.9 percent from the same period last year. The traffic leader in November was Delta with 143,388 passengers traveling to and from Fort Myers. Rounding out the top five airlines were AirTran (113,142), JetBlue (82,906), US Airways (62,858) and Southwest (62,729). Southwest Florida International Airport had 6,988 aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings), an increase of 5.1 percent compared to November 2011. Page Field saw 8,220 movements, a 14.4 percent increase from November 2011. In addicontinued on page 25 Financial FocusInvestment Mistakes To Watch For... At Different Stages Of Your Lifeby Jennifer Basey Read us online at IslandSunNews.com

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THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201324 deaRPharmacistDont Get Mugged By Your Diabetes Medicationby Suzy Cohen, RPhDear Pharmacist: I have your Diabetes Without Drugs book and it has helped me, but Im still on two of the original five medications for this condition. What nutrients should I take with my medicine? BB, Micanopy, Florida For my new readers, the term drug mugger is something that my followers understand from 14 years of my writing, and its also the title of one of my books. It refers to how medication (or foods) reduce levels of vitamins, minerals and beneficial flora (probiotics) and cause side effects. But if you dont know this, you will assume you have a new disease. This drug mugger effect is supported by hundreds of scientific studies. Metformin, which belongs to the biguanide class, depletes probiotics, vitamin B12 and folic acid. This deficiency may cause homocysteine to rise. You can measure homocysteine in the blood. We saw the B12 depletion first occur in 1980, although the article was from Germany, so unfortunately, American physicians probably didnt hear about it until 2003 when the story was reported in the respected Journal of Internal Medicine. The title of that article is, Effects of short-term treatment with metformin on serum concentrations of homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. There was also this study in 1997 published in the Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation that stated, In conclusion, metformin treatment increased total homocysteine levels and decreased levels of vitamin B12 and folate. Up to 30 percent of people taking biguanide drugs (like metformin) experience poor absorption of vitamin B12, according to Diabetologia (1983) and withdrawal of this drug resulted in normal absorption in only half of those with malabsorption. In other words, just taking the medicine means that half of you still need long-term B12 supplementation, because your B12 wont automatically rise upon discontinuation of the drug. Low B12 and folate could contribute or possibly cause tingling or numbness in the hands or feet (termed neuropathy), depression, megaloblastic anemia, weakness, rapid heart rate, confusion, memory loss, dementia, diarrhea/constipation, chronic fatigue, sciatica, as well as a higher risk of heart disease (which you already have if you are diabetic). Do you think Im telling you to stop your medicine? Im not. I am trying to keep you safe, and help you learn what nutrients to put back. Replenishing what the drug mugger stole reduces your risk of side effects, helps you avoid new diagnosis, as well as remain compliant with your medication. Hopefully your doctor has my book, and has already told you to take a good B12 and folic acid supplement, as well as (and this is important), a good probiotic, since you require beneficial bacteria to manufacture B12. Thats one huge factor that people overlook. Sulfonylureas (glipizide, glyburide, glimepiride) can increase the risk of CoQ10 deficiency according to a study on coenzyme Q10 published in 1976, in the Journal of Medicine. That can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart arrhythmias. Here is a list of the sulfonylurea drugs. The generic is on the left side, the brand name is in the parenthesis. Glipizide (Glucotrol) Glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase & Glynase Prestab) Glimepiride (Amaryl) Tolazamide (Tolinase) Chlorpropamide (Diabinese) Tolbutamide (Orinase) This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and is a registered pharmacist. To contact her, visit www. dearpharmacist.com. Mom And Me by Lizzie and PryceLizzie and Pryce answer your questions and give advice about aging concerns from a two-generational perspective. A mother and daughter team, Lizzie is a retired RN and health educator, and Pryce is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice who specializes in the care of elders and people with chronic illnesses. Dear Mom & Me, My mother-in-law is causing problems in our home. My wife was very close to her father, but she and her mother never seemed to be able to get along. Her brother and sister were much closer to their mother than their father. When my wifes father was dying, he made a deathbed request that my wife would always look after her mother, and she said yes. After several years, she came to live at our house. It has been difficult and compounded by a dreadful tragedy in our family. Our 16-year-old son was recently killed in a car accident. We are doing our very best but still grieving, and all her mother can say is get over it, things like this happen. My wife is constantly reminded of the promise she made to her father, and all her brother and sister do is criticize. Please give us your advice. Alvin Dear Alvin, Please accept my deepest sympathy at the loss of your teenage son. Your mother-in-law in my judgment is a very cruel woman, unable to show compassion at the time of great need. When your wife was asked to look after your mother, it was done by a man who was showing his love for his wife, but he was making an unreasonable request. Looking after your mother does not necessarily mean bringing her into your home. She is behaving in a dreadful manner and I would suggest you make other living arrangements for her. I would start with her brother and sister, and if that doesnt help, consider moving her to some kind of assisted living. Lizzie Dear Alvin, Where do you begin first, I am very sorry about your son, a loss that I cannot even begin to understand. Second, your mother-in-law, since she is living with you, I assume is having some difficulties with her activities of daily living and her memory. Commonly associated with your mother-in-laws situation is a decrease in insight and abstract thought. If this is true for her, her comments about the loss of your son are not meant to be cruel, it is a symptom of her decreased functioning. Also, something most of us are guilty of is being uncomfortable with seeing the pain of others. Our response is to want it to go away because it is uncomfortable. Either case may be true for her. The above aside, It does seem that the current arrangements are not working for the whole family and a change is needed. Pryce Lizzie and Pryces email address is momandmeaging@hotmail.com. Impact Of Health Care Reform To Be DiscussedThe next meeting of the League of Women Voters of Lee County will be held on Saturday, January 5 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 12601 University Drive in Fort Myers. Registration and networking begins at 8:30 a.m., with breakfast at 9 a.m. followed by the guest speaker at 9:30 a.m. and the LWV Member Meeting at 11 a.m. Jim Nathan, President and CEO of Lee Memorial Health System, will speak on the topic The impact of Health Care Reform. Cost to attend the meeting is $15, which includes breakfast. Student rates are available. The meeting is open to League members and the interested public. To make reservations, call 462-3444 or e-mail carolbf@centurylink.net. For more information, contact Sandy Frank, League of Women Voters Director of Programs, at 415-7654. Jim Nathan Shell Point Informational Meetings Residents of Southwest Florida who would like to learn about resort style retirement options and lifecare, are invited to attend one of several informational meetings at Shell Point Retirement Community. One of Shell Points experienced retirement counselors will explain the numerous benefits received when becoming a resident at Shell Point. The informational meetings will be held at 10 a.m. on the following dates in the main Commons, located in The Woodlands neighborhood at Shell Point: January 8, 15, 23 and 29 February 6, 12 and 20 A brief presentation will be given on the benefits of lifecare at Shell Point during continued on page 25

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25 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013 Dr. DavePermanent Weight Lossby Dr. Dave HepburnJust great! Little Billy Bloggins came to school spreading his cold around and now were all going to get fat. That little cesspool of viruses sneezed in my direction and the next thing I knew, I was heading for the Ho Hos. Suppose I shouldve got that fat vaccine. Absolutely. That blubber booster has kept me as trim and thin as an Olsen twin. Obesity vaccine? Medical research has astonished us by revealing that infections have turned out to be the unlikely cause of several common diseases. Peptic ulcers, cervical cancer, rheumatic heart disease are just a few examples of illnesses actually caused by viruses or bacteria. In addition, bugs may well be responsible for Tourettes syndrome, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disease), diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Don Cherry, heart attacks and now even obesity. The common human adenovirus, the same bug responsible for many routine infections like the cold, is the obesity culprit. Some strains of this virus have now been confirmed to increase the amount of fat in animal fat cells. Obese folk, it turns out, have a higher incidence of the adenovirus antibodies circulating about their bloodstream than skinny folk. While not known just how much of a role/roll the virus plays in the epidemic of obesity we are currently experiencing, we do know there has been a dramatic doubling of this disease, not unlike an infectious epidemic, in the last 30 years. Q: So Dr. Dave, how do we avoid this adipogenic adenovirus? A: We can prevent most viruses by getting into the habit of washing our hands when were exposed to germy environments like malls, schools or Sudbury. Q: Will there be a vaccine against obesity? A: Possibly. But in the meantime, exercise and eat properly. Q: No vaccine yet! I hate dieting and, frankly, I find this news so depressing Im tempted to perform a little selfmedicating with Peanut Bustercillin. Eh: But that would be emotional eating and you absolutely must avoid that. Q: Hey, Im an emotional guy, watch me smack you across the head with this fruit rollup. I hate diets. A: Well then, why not consider the no diet diet. According to the researchers in the food sciences faculty at BYU, we should consider becoming intuitive eaters instead of calorie counters and fat measurers. Eat whatever you want but only when you need to. Eat when youre actually hungry, stop when youre not. Its not so much what you eat but when you eat, in other words when you need to. Q: If I tried that I would intuitively weigh about 600 pounds. I get intuitive every time I see a Krispy Kreme hamburger. Permanent weight loss requires attitude. Learning to eat to live rather than live to eat. We need to train ourselves how to be more in tune to use eating to satisfy hunger rather than to satisfy Jenny Craig. In fact, an Intuitive Eating Scale has been developed to help you recognize when to eat. How you score on this scale determines how you score on the intuitive bathroom scale. Professor Steven Hawks of BYU decided to try it himself and without restrictive or restraining dieting he lost 50 pounds in a year. Nothing to sneeze at. Dr. Daves book The Doctor is In(sane) is now available for those with a sense of humor and half a sense of health. Pick up a copy at Sanibel Island Bookshop. Contact Dr. Dave or read more at www.wisequacks.org. Dean W. Larson, M.D. Board Certi ed Eyelid Surgeon since 1990 Diplomat of e American Board of Ophthalmology Over 15,000 surgeries performed successfully Serving Lee, Charlotte & Hendry County patients for over 19 yearsWe are conveniently located on the corner of Summerlin and Winkler. Plastic & Reconstructive Eyelid Surgery Eyelid Surgery Center Fort Myers O ce 239.481.9995www.EyelidsOnly.comWE OFFER One-surgeon practice -you always see the same doctor No assembly-line surgery youre the only one Personalized post-operative attention Specialty-trained nursing sta Catered, accommodating care, tailored to your needs NO DOCTOR REFERRAL NEEDEDOver 65? Think eyelid surgery is not a ordable? Medicare STILL pays!Eyelid QuizDo you have to raise your eyebrows to see more clearly? Have you hit your head on a cabinet door while open? Is it di cult to see beside you without turning your head left or right? Do your eyelids close while you are reading? When you play tennis, do you have trouble serving? Do your eyelids feel heavy?If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you qualify for a FREE, no obligation eyelid screening performed by Natasha, COA.Screening candidates receive a $25 movie gift card. Before After After Natasha, COA Before From page 24Meetingsthe casually-structured meeting, where guests will learn about the numerous retirement options available at Shell Point. Included in the visit is a tour of two of the three neighborhoods The Island and The Woodlands where guests will receive information on the many amenities that are available to residents at Shell Point. Admission to these informative sessions is free; however, seating is limited, so reservations are required and may be made by calling Maureen Thomson at 466-1131 or 1-800-780-1131. To learn more about Shell Point, visit www.shellpoint.org. From page 23Airport Traffic-tion, more than 3 million pounds of air freight moved through Southwest Florida International Airport in November 2012, an increase of 18.5 percent compared to November 2011. Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 7.5 million passengers in 2011 and is one of the top 50 U.S. airports for passenger traffic. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction. For more information, visit www.flylcpa.com.

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PUZZLE ANSWERSDID YOU KNOW 1. MOVIES: What was the name of the planet where Luke Skywalker (Star Wars) grew up? 2. LITERATURE: Who wrote the childrens book The Wind in the Willows? 3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is a common name for the dog breed Borzoi? 4. MYTHOLOGY: What was the name of the sun god in Greek mythology? 5. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Curacao located? 6. HISTORY: In what U.S. state did the Battle of Bunker Hill take place? 7. GEOMETRY: How many sides does a quadrilateral have? 8. PSYCHOLOGY: What type of fear is represented by hedonophobia? 9. TELEVISION: What was the name of the lead character on Miami Vice, and who played the role? 10. MILITARY: What is the highest decoration awarded for heroism in the U.S. military? TRIVIA TEST 1. Tatooine 2. Kenneth Grahame 3. Russian Wolfhound 4. Helios 5. Caribbean 6. Massachusetts 7. Four 8. Fear of pleasure 9. Sonny Crockett (played by Don Johnson) 10. Medal of Honor. ANSWERS SPORTS QUIZ 1. Who was the youngest major-league pitcher to toss a perfect game? 2. How many losing seasons have the Yankees had in their 110-year franchise history in New York? 3. When was the first time two quarterbacks who were each taken No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft faced each other in a conference championship game? 4. Name the last team to score fewer points in an NCAA mens basketball championship game than Butler did (41 points) in 2011? 5. Who was the last Washington-based pro player before the Capitals Alex Ovechkin in 2008 to win an MVP award? 6. Name the last time before 2012 (Michigan International Speedway) that NASCAR Cup drivers posted qualifying speeds above 200 mph. 7. At the 2012 Olympics, two male tennis players set a record for longest three-set match (four hours, 26 minutes). Name the players.1. Cat sh Hunter was 22 when he did it for Oakland in 1968. 2. Twenty-one seasons. 3. The AFC Championship Game following the 1998 NFL season featured Denvers John Elway versus Vinny Testaverde of the New York Jets. 4. Oklahoma A&M tallied 36 points in 1949. 5. Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, in 1983. 6. It was 1987. 7. Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro. ANSWERSTHE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201326 My Stars FOR WEEK OF JANUARY 7, 2013ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Shutting people out to avoid distractions, even under a deadline, can cause hurt feelings. Instead, return calls and emails, and explain why you need a zone of privacy for now. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Although your keen Bulls eyes usually can discern whats fact from whats faux, that upcoming decision will need really solid data before you can risk a commitment. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) As your confidence grows, you should be able to work toward your goals with more enthusiasm. Open your mind to suggestions. Some of them might even work for you. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Reconnecting with someone from your past stirs up that old sense of adventure. But before you do anything else, be sure to get answers to those still-lingering questions. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Some people might resent the way you plan to resolve a difficult situation. But your commitment to making tough but fair decisions soon wins you their respect and support. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Mixed signals could be causing that vexing workplace problem. Before you choose to leave the project, ask for a meeting so you can get things out in the open. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Your good intentions could backfire if youre not careful with other peoples feelings. Try using persuasion, not pressure, to get others to see your side of the situation. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your dedication to finishing the task at hand is laudable. But be careful not to overdo the midnight oil bit. Take time for relaxation with someone very special. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Although your intuition will help you make some tough choices in the first half of the month, youll need more facts to back up your actions later on. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) All that hard work and research in the workplace finally pays off as you hoped it would. Ignore comments from jealous types who are out to get the Goat riled up. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) An unfair decision creates unnecessary problems. But avoid anger and move carefully as you work this out. Expect to get support from an unlikely source. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A fuzzy financial vista persists until midmonth, when things begin to clear up. Youll also gain a better perspective on how to handle those pesky personal problems. BORN THIS WEEK : You have a wonderful way of being there for those who need your help in difficult times. On Jan. 7, 1789, Americas first presidential election is held as voters cast ballots to choose state electors. Only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. As expected, George Washington won the election and was sworn into office on April 30, 1789. On Jan. 12, 1928, a young pianist from Kiev named Vladimir Horowitz makes his American debut at Carnegie Hall. Sir Thomas Beecham, guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic, was the headliner, but it was the young Russian pianist playing Tchaikovskys Piano Concerto No. 1 who stole the show. On Jan. 11, 1937, nearly two weeks into a sit-down strike by General Motors auto workers at the Fisher Body Plant in Flint, Mich., a riot breaks out when police try to prevent the strikers from receiving food deliveries from supporters on the outside. The melee was later nicknamed the Battle of the Running Bulls. On Jan. 10, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelts Lend-Lease program is brought before the U.S. Congress. It gave the chief executive the power to sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend or otherwise dispose of any military resources he deemed in the ultimate interest of the defense of the United States. On Jan. 8, 1962, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Leonardo da Vincis masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, is exhibited for the first time in America. The painting is a portrait of the wife of wealthy Florentine citizen Francesco del Gioconda. On Jan. 9, 1972, in Hong Kong harbor, a fire breaks out aboard the Queen Elizabeth, and by the next morning the famous vessel lies in a wreck on the bottom of the sea floor. After being purchased in 1970 by C.W. Tung, a Taiwanese shipping tycoon, the vessel was renamed the Seawise University. On Jan. 13, 1982, an Air Florida Boeing 727 plunges into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 78 people. The plane was forced to wait 45 minutes for clearance after de-icing, and at the end of the runway was able to achieve only a few hundred feet of altitude. It was iconic pop artist Andy Warhol who made the following observation: Employees make the best dates. You dont have to pick them up, and theyre always tax deductible. At one time in Alabama, it was illegal to wear a false mustache to church. The English word toast to describe a piece of browned bread comes from the Latin word tostare, which means roasted. The word toast to mean kind words spoken while sharing wine also comes from the same root, though in a roundabout way. In the Middle Ages, wine was not always of the highest quality; as a gesture of goodwill and hospitality to guests, a piece of toast was sometimes added to improve the flavor. Eventually (as vintages improved, one might assume), the browned bread was forgotten and only the words remained. You might be surprised to learn that the man who was the lead designer for the original GI Joe action figure also designed the inaugural medal for the John F. Kennedy-Lyndon Johnson administration. If youre an arachnophobe, it you probably dont want to know that a tarantula can live for up to two years without eating a thing. Have you ever noticed the small bumps that seem to cover your tongue? Many people think that these are taste buds. In fact, there are more than 200 taste buds on each of those bumps. Those who study such things say that the 15 most commonly used words in the English language are, in descending order: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, them, what, the, a and an. The greatest accomplishment is not in never failing, but in rising again after you fall. -Vince Lombardi THIS WEEK IN HISTORY STRANGE BUT TRUE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Read us online at islandsunnews.com Read us online at islandsunnews.com SUDOKUTo play Sudoku: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 (the same number cannot appear more than once in a row, column or 3x3 box.) There is no guessing and no math involved, just logic.answer on page 27 If you would like your club/organization listed in The River Calling Card, phone 415-7732Emergency .........................................................................................911 Lee County Sheriffs Of ce ........................................................477-1200 Florida Marine Patrol ................................................................332-6966 Florida Highway Patrol ..............................................................278-7100 Poison Control ................................................................1-800-282-3171HealthPark Medical Center .......................................1-800-936-5321Ft. Myers Chamber of Commerce .............................................332-3624 Foundation for Quality Childcare ..............................................425-2685 Ft. Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce ..................................454-7500 Fort Myers Beach Library .........................................................463-9691 Lakes Regional Library ............................................................533-4000 Lee County Chamber of Commerce ..........................................931-0931 Post Of ce .....................................................................1-800-275-8777 Visitor & Convention Bureau .....................................................338-3500 ARTS Alliance for the Arts ..................................................................939-2787 Art of the Olympians Museum & Gallery ...................................332-5055 Arts For ACT Gallery & Studio ..................................................337-5050 Art League Of Fort Myers .........................................................275-3970 Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall ......................................481-4849 BIG ARTS ................................................................................395-0900 Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre ............................................... 278-4422 Cultural Park Theatre ................................................................772-5862 Edison Festival of Light .............................................................334-2999 Florida Repertory Theatre at the Arcade ..................................332-4488 Florida West Arts ......................................................................948-4427 Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers.......................................472-0168 Gulf Coast Symphony ...............................................................489-1800 Harmony Chorus, Charles Sutter, Pres .....................................481-8059 Naples Philharmonic ...........................................................239-5971111 The Schoolhouse Theater .........................................................472-6862 S.W. Florida Symphony .............................................................418-0996 Theatre Conspiracy ..................................................................936-3239 Young Artists Awards ................................................................574-9321CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONSAngel Flight ................................................................1-877-4AN-ANGEL Animal Refuge Center ...............................................................731-3535 American Business Women Association ...................................357-6755 Audubon of SWFL .....................................................................339-8046 Audubon Society .......................................................................472-3156 Caloosahatchee Chapter DAR ..................................................482-1366 Caloosahatchee Folk Society ...................................................321-4620 Cape Chorale Barbershop Chorus .................................1-855-425-3631 Cape Coral Stamp Club ............................................................542-9153 duPont Company Retirees .......................................................454-1083 Edison Porcelain Artists ............................................................415-2484 Ft Myers UDC Chapter 2614 (United Daughters of the Confederacy ..................................728-3743 Friendship Force Of SW FL ......................................................561-9164 The Horticulture and Tea Society .............................................472-8334 Horticultural Society .................................................................472-6940 Lee County Genealogical Society .............................................549-9625 Lee Trust for Historic Preservation ...........................................939-7278 NARFE(National Active & Retired Federal Employees .............482-6713 Navy Seabees Veterans of America ..........................................731-1901 Paradise Iowa Club of SWFL ....................................................667-1354 Sons of Confederate Veterans ..................................................332-2408 Southwest Florida Fencing Academy ........................................939-1338 Southwest Florida Music Association ........................................561-2118 Kiwanis Clubs: Fort Myers Beach.................................................765-4254 or 454-8090 Fort Myers Edison .....................................................................694-1056 Fort Myers South ......................................................................691-1405 Gateway to the Islands..............................................................415-3100 Iona-McGregor..........................................................................482-0869Lions Clubs:Fort Myers Beach......................................................................463-9738 Fort Myers High Noon ...............................................................466-4228 Estero/South Fort Myers ...........................................................898-1921 Notre Dame Club of Lee County .............................................. 768-0417 POLO Club of Lee County.........................................................477-4906 Rotary Club of Fort Myers .........................................................332-8158 Sanibel-Captiva Orchid Society ................................................472-6940 United Way of Lee County ........................................................433-2000 United Way 211 Helpline (24 hour) .................................211 or 433-3900AREA ATTRACTIONSBailey-Matthews Shell Museum ................................................395-2233 Burroughs Home ......................................................................337-9505 Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium ........................................275-3435 Edison & Ford Winter Estates ...................................................334-3614 Fort Myers Skate Park ..............................................................321-7558 Imaginarium Hands-On Museum & Aquarium ............................321-7420 JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge ................................472-1100 Koreshan State Historic Site ..............................................239-992-0311 Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Science Center .......................765-8101 Skatium ......................................................................................321-7510 Southwest Florida Museum of History ......................................321-7430 True Tours .................................................................................945-0405 Pets Of The Week THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201330 Hello, my name is Devon and I am a two-year-old male tri-colored German Shepherd mix. Im a shy boy but a real charmer. My ideal new best friend would be someone that will take the time to exercise me and be as much of a companion to me as I will be in return. Im alert and smart, so feel free to teach me new things. My adoption fee is $55 (regularly $75) during Animal Services Real Housepets of Lee County Adoption Promotion. Hello, my name is Mattie and I am a one-yearold male orange-and-white domestic short hair. My brother Maddox, sister Madge and I have been at the shelter since October waiting for a home. We are all adorable. We dont have to be adopted together, but wouldnt mind if someone wanted all of us. Cats are two for one, so why not start off the New Year with lots of love? My adoption fee is $30 (regularly $50) during Animal Services Real Housepets of Lee County Adoption Promotion. For information about this weeks pets, call 533-7387 (LEE-PETS) or log on to Animal Services website at www.LeeLostPets.com. When calling, refer to the animals ID number. The website updates every hour so you will be able to see if these or any other pets are still available. The shelter is open for adoptions from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The shelter is located at 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, next to the Lee County Sheriffs Office, off Six Mile Cypress Parkway. All adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, rabies vaccination and county license if three months or older, flea treatment, worming, heartworm test for dogs six months and over, feline AIDS and leukemia test for cats, training DVD, 10-day health guarantee, and a bag of Science Diet pet food. The adoption package is valued at $500. Mattie ID# 551777 Devon ID# 554551 photos by squaredogphoto.com

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BEACH CHAIR PASTIMEAnswers on page 26 31 THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 2013

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1149 Periwinkle Way 239/472-0176 fax 239/472-0350 11526 Andy Rosse Lane 239/472-1270 fax 239-472-1268 11509 Andy Rosse Lane 239/472-1395www.jnaislandrealestate.com John Naumann & Associates is pleased to act as a drop off location for St. Isabels Toy Collection. We will be collecting unwrapped toys for ages 5-12. Please drop off your donations at any of our of ce locations and thank you for your generosity!Serving the Islands Since 1975 SUNDIAL K-203Direct Gulf Front. Beautiful condominium at Sanibel Islands only resort. Two bedrooms, 2 baths and fully furnished with everything you need for a fabulous vacation residence. Currently doing extremely well in Sundials on-site rental program. Sparkling second floor gulf views from the family room, kitchen and master bedroom with sliding glass doors to the screened in lanai. Has updated kitchen and baths and is the least expensive direct gulf residence in Sundial Resort. Enjoy glowing sunsets, walks on the beach or a dip in the pool just steps from your home. Dont miss out on this opportunity! Offered for $784,500 Contact Kelly Palmer Clark 239/634-7629SUNDIAL LOCATION-LOCATIONYoull love this large,gorgeous direct Gulf access Sanibel home across from San Carlos Bay. Over 2500 square feet of living space. 2 BR,2 1/2 bath;(with bonus space you must see). MidIsland deep water canal only 1000 ft. to San Carlos Bay. This home boasts a beautiful kitchen with custom wood cabinetry, wet bar, plus a wood burning fireplace in the great room with soaring cathedral ceiling and wonderful wood floors. Very private pool area, with nicely maintained lush landscaping that leads you to your private dock. Multiple porches, great views from every room including views of THE BAY from LR and front porch. A TRUE must see, soon, it wont last. True Sanibel Living. Offered for $975,000. Contact Nancy Finch 239/822-7825ENJOY THE LIFESTYLE WITHOUT THE HIGH ASSOCIATION FEESQuiet South Ft. Myers neighborhood near Cypress Lake Country Club. Close to everything. This home features marble flooring, wood burning fireplace, 3 car garage with tile flooring,central vac, beautiful pool large kitchen with granite. Formal and informal dining rooms,and a laundry room and a wonderful entertainment area in great room with surround sound. Large master suite features a huge walk-in closet and built-ins, and jacuzzi tub. Separate wing for your guests, nanny or mother-in-law. This beautiful home is offered for $549,500. Contact Connie Walters Ms Lister 239/841-4540 GULF HARBOUR RIVER VIEW CONDOThis is the floor plan you were looking for! Superb floorplan seldom available. The views from this home are uninterrupted and your 31x15 lanai is completely private. Professionally decorated by Robb and Stuckey. F rom the moment you step into this spacious open floor plan you enjoy the beautiful view of the river, waterway into Gulf Harbours spectacular marina and private preserve island park. The Nantucket Shores residences also feature a myriad of waterfront amenities from a private beach with tiki hut sunshades, resort style riverfront pool and spa,out door grills and even golf carts! This is the community, the location and the home youve been looking for! Furnishings and Golf Membership also available! Offered for $729,000 Contact Debra Hobbs 239/565-0549PUNTA RASSA #302This elegantly appointed home has been completely renovated. Top of the line granite in kitchen and baths. Unique master bath & dressing area, design award, wood floors, dry bar, stainless steel appliances. Sun drenched with magnificent sunsets and views of Sanibel Island enhanced by hurricane glass enclosed lanai, hurricane glass on all windows. Social membership to Sanibel Harbour included. Turnkey and ready! Offered for $425,000. Contact Marianne Stewart 239/560-6420.NEAR BEACH HOME IN EAST ROCKSEnjoy lake views from this beautifully updated 3 bedrooms, 2 bathroom home with a completely renovated kitchen. All new flooring, paint, lighting and numerous other additions create a bright and inviting atmosphere. The large back deck leads to a beautiful pool and patio area, perfect for entertaining. The lower level also includes a 2 car garage, workshop, a poolside bar and plenty of storage. The expert landscaping adds to the great curb appeal. A very short stroll leads to Beach Access #2 and the wonderful Gulf of Mexico. Offered for $625,900. Contact Bob Berning at 239/ 699-9597 or Ken Colter 239/851-1357ISLAND BEACH CLUBArrive at your top floor condominium and get ready to relax. Nicely appointed 2 bedroom, 2 full bath has a courtyard view from screened lanai, dining, living and kitchen. Spacious bedrooms each with full private baths set back from the living areas. Great property for that part time getaway or an addition to your investments. Offered for $460,000.00 Contact Connie Walters Ms Listr at 239/841-4540 or Tracy Walters 239/994-7975HISTORIC FORT MYERSRare opportunity to own 3 adjacent lots in exclusive, historical area of Fort Myers. Very close to Downtown, River District, shopping and entertainment. Just steps to Historic Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Offered for $360,000 Contact Steve Harrell 239/565-1277, Toby Tolp 239/848-0433 or Kasey Harrell 239/850-7602 EXCLUSIVE RIVERFRONT ESTATE IN ST. CHARLES HARBOUR Casual elegance describes this 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath home that offers 200 of unobstructed river views. One of the best floor plans youll find, giving you wonderful views from almost every room. Gourmet kitchen, Butlers pantry, 2 laundry rooms, fireplace and so much more. Very spacious pool area with outdoor kitchen plus private fishing pier, 4 car plus garage. Includes a 34 slip in the central marina. Large property allows you to enjoy tremendous privacy. Offered for $3,250,000. Contact Nancy Finch 239/822-7825.JONATHAN HARBOUR BUILDING SITECleared filled and ready to go. Large waterfront lot with dock in place in private gated community. House plans included. Offered for $550,000. Contact Ralph or Cathy Galietti 239/828-5897.CAPTIVA BEAUTYAn individual house that is more than just a location, it offers property features that speak to the individual lifestyle. Six balconies, views of the Bay, heated pool with a fiber optic lighting system, travertine stone deck, new outdoor kitchen with the backdrop of a tiered fountain. A four-vehicle garage, manicured landscaping with lighting. Must see to truly appreciate distinctive features together with wood floors in each bedroom, including a Mother-in-law quarters with private entrance. New lighting fixtures, cabinetry, stone floors, two gas fireplaces, intercom & alarm systems, elevator, 150 bottle wine fridge and boasting a gourmet kitchen. Its all about quality and style! Offered for $2,299,000. Contact LeAne Taylor Suarez 239/872-1632CAPTIVA GATED MEDITERRANEAN HOMEExpansive waterfront views abound! Sprawling over the Bay of idyllic direct waterfront! Manicured grounds surrounded by water that lead to a large private dock with 10,000 lb. lift. Pella impact resistant windows, 18x18 Scabos stone flooring, remodeled bathrooms and kitchen including granite, stone backsplash, and gas stove and fireplace. Quite possibly the most sought out Bay front Mediterranean architectural available in the Village of Captiva today. Offered for $3,750,000 Contact LeAne Taylor Suarez 239/872-1632 NEW LISTING NEW LISTING NEW LISTING NEW LISTING THE RIVER JANUARY 4, 201332